Ukraine imported 9.8 thousand tonnes of grapes worth nineteen million US dollars between January and May 2026, according to customs data. The figures confirm that imported fruit remains essential for keeping supermarket shelves supplied outside the domestic harvest season.
India accounted for 18.4 percent of imports, South Africa for 13.4 percent and Uzbekistan for 12.8 percent. Their different harvest calendars and transport routes help distributors maintain a more continuous supply instead of relying on one country or one short seasonal window.
Demand remains stable throughout the year
For comparison, Ukraine imported 42.2 thousand tonnes of grapes worth 66.7 million US dollars during all of 2025. The first five months of 2026 therefore show continuing consumer demand, although they cannot be extrapolated directly because grape trade changes strongly by season.
The imported product has to pass phytosanitary, quality and cold-chain controls. Retail prices are influenced not only by the purchase price at origin, but also by refrigeration, packaging, transport, border procedures, losses during delivery and exchange-rate movements.
Domestic production is returning slowly
Ukrainian growers are simultaneously investing in the restoration of viticulture. New vineyards and orchards are being established on cleared land in the Mykolaiv region, where farming was disrupted by hostilities and contamination risks.
Local grapes cannot replace imports immediately. A new vineyard needs time before reaching commercial yields, while producers require planting material, irrigation, storage, sorting and predictable access to finance. Climate risks and the condition of rural infrastructure also affect investment decisions.
A larger domestic harvest could gradually reduce seasonal import dependence and create a base for processing and exports. Until that capacity matures, diversified imports and reliable cold logistics will remain important for Ukrainian consumers and retailers.
