Ukraine imports fresh potatoes on an industrial scale. In the period from January to August 2020 alone, $51.27 million was imported, six times more than in the same period last year.
As Ukraine.ru writes with reference to the State Customs Service og Ukraine, the three main suppliers of potatoes to Ukraine this year are Belarus ($21.42 million), the Netherlands ($11.97 million) and the Russian Federation ($7.23 million).
Last year the Ukrainians needed only $8.5 million in other people’s potatoes, and this year’s demand grew by 503.15%.
Growing potatoes on homestead lands is practically a “national sport” in Ukraine. And such a high demand for imports can be attributed to two reasons: the poor harvest last year and increased consumption of potatoes as a substitute for other, more expensive products.
Both are a very bad sign for Ukraine.