Fall in Polish strawberry prices amidst uncertainty

The first Polish strawberries appeared at wholesale markets at a price of about PLN 20/kg, according to data published by www.farmer.pl. For now, they are cheaper than a year ago at the same time, but they will probably soon increase in price. The first domestic strawberries from greenhouses were available on April 23 for PLN 18-22/kg in Broniszach, near Warsaw. Last year, the price of a kilo of strawberries was on average PLN 23, and the highest price was PLN 25/kg. This is over twice the cost of strawberries imported from Spain and Greece, which are offered at PLN 9-11/kg.

The harvest of strawberries in tunnels will start at the end of April, while in the fields, the season runs between May and June. Uncertainty remains about whether there will be sufficient labourers for the harvest. If pickers from Ukraine do not come because of the coronavirus, it is hoped that Poles will step in to fill the gap. This will mean higher costs and, inevitably, higher prices, too.