This year's holiday table will cost Ukrainians even more.
The demand for products for the holiday table is starting to grow, which will lead to an increase in their cost.
Experts told the publication “RBK-Ukraine” which products may become more expensive before the holidays.
Which products may become more expensive the most
Head of the Marketing Department of the wholesale agricultural market “Shuvar” Tatyana Popovich noted that there are annual trends towards increase in prices before the holidays for products such as meat, eggs, vegetables and fruits.
“Considering current trends, it is expected that by the New Year holidays, prices for vegetables, fruits, meat and eggs will rise due to increased demand and seasonal factors,” she said.
According to the expert, Ukrainians felt the increase in consumer prices even before the holiday period.
So, in recent months, the cost of food has been rising due to inflation, increased production costs due to rising fuel and energy prices, poor agricultural crops due to unfavorable weather. Therefore, in general, this winter the cost of food is significantly higher than last year.
What will happen to the prices of eggs and meat before the holidays
Analyst of the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB) Maksym Gopka noted that over the year, beef and pork have increased in price, chicken fillet has also become more expensive, but chicken thighs have become slightly cheaper.
He cited the following data on changes in the cost of meat products:
- Pork neck – increased in price by 15% (from 242 UAH/kg in 2023 to 280 UAH/kg)
- Beef goulash – increased in price by 19% (from 252 UAH/kg to 301 UAH/kg)
- Chicken fillet – increased in price by 8% (from 160 UAH/kg to 174 UAH/kg)
- Chicken thigh – price decreased by 4% (from 116 UAH/kg to 112 UAH/kg)
Popovich added that increased demand on the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays causes an increase in retail prices for basic types of meat by an average of 3% in December compared to November 2024. According to the expert's forecast, in January 2025, prices will remain at the December level with minor regional fluctuations.
“As for eggs, only after the holidays is a slight decrease in prices possible, but seasonal factors can affect their cost. Now chicken eggs in supermarkets cost an average of 78.4 UAH per dozen,” she said.
Can the price of cheese increase?
Gopka explained that buying cheese for the New Year's table will cost 15-20% more.
“The cost of raw milk has increased over the past five months due to a shortage of supply, which has led to an increase in prices for dairy products, including cheeses,” he said.
What will be the prices of vegetables and fruits before the holidays
Popovich noted that in the winter, prices for vegetables and fruits usually increase due to a seasonal decrease in supply and an increase in storage costs.
“According to forecasts, by the end of the first half of 2025, a monthly increase in prices for fruit and vegetable products by 5-7% is possible, which will depend on weather conditions, supply volumes and logistics. Thus, the seasonal price increase in relation to December 2023 may reach 30-42%,” she said.
UKAB analyst Maksym Boyko added that prices for seasonal fruits (citrus fruits) have not yet stabilized, so there is a large discrepancy in cost.
The offer for the most popular fruits for the holiday table is in the following price range:
- tangerines: 80-140 UAH/kg
- oranges: 90-100 UAH/kg
- persimmon: 80-100 UAH/kg
- apples: 30-40 UAH/kg
Earlier it was reported that in December 2024 vegetables may rise in price by up to 15%, and fruits – up to 10%. In particular, the price of white cabbage may rise to 33 UAH, onions – up to 20 UAH, potatoes – up to 37 UAH.
Meat prices will traditionally continue to rise before the New Year. Before the holidays, retail prices for these types of meat may increase by up to 9%.