We sell fresh blueberry. Frozen raspberries and strawberries go for export. It would be nice to export 30-40% of the blueberries’ gross harvest to Europe as well.

In addition to the GLOBAL G.A.P. certification, we also have the necessary refrigeration equipment. For the first time, this year we visited Fruit Logistica as stand co-exhibitors, in the framework of International Trade Centre ‘Eastern Partnership: Ready to Trade – a EU4Business’ project, funded by European Union. Before that, we’ve traveled abroad with trade missions to Singapore, Malaysia, and the Emirates. Also, we’ve been attending Fruit Logistica since 2012 as visitors.

This year, the Ukrainian stand location was so enabling, that we did not have enough prepared handouts for everyone. However, it looks like we performed well, jointly with organizers, and other participants and collaboration at collective stands makes sense for the future. It’s more efficient than roaming as visitors. There’s a thing that we should have at the stand samples of products though it’s clear that in February we do not have fresh blueberries. I can accept such a concept as a basis, but as for me, it is not a big deal. Brochures, business cards, and banners, that’s our standard presentation.

Participation in Fruit Logistica is a promotion of Ukraine as a whole. As well as both – the company and business community. We are grateful to the International Trade Centre for organizing a collective stand. It is difficult to do this on your own, not to mention the means, even to organize and administer. The understanding of the European market gained during the exhibition shows that the experience of cooperation worth being considered in our realities. Right now, a combination of all participants’ volumes for 2020 is enough for 2-3 weeks of large foreign buyers’ of work.

We aimed to expand our potential customer base, to hold meetings. I did it elsewhere as well, but the stand became a new tool for the new contacts establishing. We have met serious potential clients. Fruit Logistica is always well and large-scale exhibition. The start of the season will clarify the result of our presentation. One way or another, it is better to be at the stand than not to be. This year we’ve gained a large number of contacts. Big European companies started to show great interest for Ukrainian producers. Let’s see if it turns into business links of high quality, as it is too hard to make an outlook right now. At the same time, due to the current situation, we’ll have export advantages if the quarantine lasts till summer. Ukrainians who had previously worked on plantations in European fields are now back home. If the berry harvesting in Europe will fail due to a lack of human resources, we will not feel such an issue in Ukraine, accordingly. Another question is whether quarantine will allow people to enter the field at all. As the number of consumers increased, our product consumption here, in Ukraine, can increase as well. This trend will be influenced by purchasing power and various behavioral aspects. The berry is perishable, so you can’t buy it in advance, and buyers – Ukrainians or Europeans – will keep it in mind when purchasing. Currently, we continue to negotiate with clients from Europe, including those whom we met at the exhibition and to monitor global changes.