The berries are already massively sold on street stalls

Strawberry with pepper: how to choose a delicious and high-quality berries?

In early may at the Odessa markets, a strawberry, and after only a week and a half of berries have massively sold on street stalls and the price they constantly decreasing. "The Odessa life" found out how much it cost strawberries on the shelves and how much it is sold, farmers, and found out what are the most popular varieties today.

District three harvests
A leader in the cultivation of strawberries in the Odessa region, and throughout Ukraine, traditionally the Kiliya district. And towns Vilkovo, fishing Line and kealia are the main suppliers of fragrant berries to the markets of the region. This is explained by the unique combination of favorable for strawberries climate (mild and humid), fertile soil and large supplies fresh water.
The seller tells Valeria that among the early varieties of strawberries with a best — "Cleary". It is famous for its sweetness and is stored longer than others varieties without losing shape and without losing juice, so this strawberry is convenient transport from other areas. Berries "Cleary" medium and large size, conical, with small granules.
— We sell strawberries from Kiliya district and from the Kherson region. All suppliers are big farmers. They grow the berries, using only Dutch seedlings, — says Valeria.
And despite the fact that the Odesa region is famous for its strawberries, to improve the delivery of our berries in other regions of Ukraine or import it to Europe is still possible extremely rare. For example, in the village of Lisky Kiliya district told us, the only market for local farmers — Odessa Privoz. After all, for more long-distance transport requires large modern refrigerators, which the villagers can not afford.

Deceptive practices

In markets and street stalls buyers are cheating regularly. Strawberry — no exception. For example, to sweeten the berries, pour it sweet syrup. Moreover, the strawberries intended for a trial, cut into several pieces to sweet water absorbed in the flesh and it finally convinced the buyer as berries. Therefore making buying, ask to give you to try the berries, standing in boxes behind the counter.
Another trick is "putting" immature berries. This is especially common in the sale of strawberries in plastic containers. Below be greenish or even spoiled fruit, and the top — beautiful and ripe. But here, again, you need to defend their right to quality product. You can, for example, ask for an empty container and independently to put him any berries.
Cheating on the weight of the goods more difficult to track. The only way for the buyer is the reference balance, which may specify any the employee market.
Note that the price of strawberries will soon be fall, so as gonna be a massive harvest. But according to farmers, less than 30 hryvnia per kilogram this year berries to sell are unlikely, although the season and turned out to be fruitful. All because the purchase of high-quality imported seedlings is much more expensive.

Galina Ivanova, the head of the village Council Leskovskogo (Kiliya district):

— In our village more than 600 households and almost all — grown strawberries. The village collects 300-400 tons per season and first with the profit and lives. We also have a rice farm, but strawberry is the main breadwinner, although the volume of Vylkove already surpasses the fishing Line.
We do not have enough modern technology and greenhouses. Today in strawberry the economy an enormous amount of hard manual labour, and the price of berries in this small and closer to the peak of the season is greatly reduced. Now for example, farmers are renting the berries for 22 hryvnia per kilogram (approx.ed. - at a retail price at the time 50-55 USD). This is very low given the cost of labor, imported seeds and fertilizers. At the same time, they sell the berries are twice as expensive.
And on the way to Odessa, I generally keep quiet — this is almost half of all costs. If the road condition does not improve, people will simply refuse to carry strawberries on Bringing.

150 USD a working day get the strawberry farms in the Odessa region.

Author: Anna Myachina