Increasing production costs of fish farming in Ukraine
In Ukraine, there is a rise in the production costs of freshwater fish farming, caused by increased expenses for energy resources, feed, and logistics. At the same time, wholesale prices in the market remain unchanged, creating tension in the industry. The main issues faced by producers are the shortage of workers and the impact of blackouts on production costs.
The impact of blackouts and the lack of workforce
The production costs of fish farming in Ukraine are rising, yet wholesale prices in the market remain unchanged. This may relate to the fact that in retail trade, prices such as:
- 120 UAH per kilogram of carp,
- 150 UAH per kilogram of catfish,
- 60 UAH per kilogram of crucian carp and fish with a thick lip,
are increasing, while wholesale prices do not show similar dynamics. Bohdan Hrishin emphasizes that
“retail prices are rising, but wholesale prices are not rising, even though they should increase.”
Furthermore, blackouts affect production costs during the spawning campaign and incubation.
“Blackouts are critical only during the spawning campaign, incubation. When pumps are running, if there is no electricity, generators need to be connected, then this affects the production costs,”explains Hrishin.
An important problem is also the shortage of workers in the industry.
“There are not enough workers already because it is, in principle, a low-paid industry, and now all the people have been 'cleaned out', so it’s very problematic to find workers,”he emphasizes. These factors can significantly affect the further development of the freshwater fish market in Ukraine.
The rise in production costs amid stable wholesale prices in the market puts economic pressure on producers who may incur losses if the situation does not change. The impact of blackouts and the lack of workforce indicate the need for urgent measures to stabilize the industry since the cultivation of freshwater fish is an important element of the country's food security. Solving these problems may require both state intervention and attracting investments for the modernization of productions and infrastructure.