Only big and medium-sized farms, producing vegetables, have access to high-quality storage facilities in Russia. They account for about 45% of the total commercial harvest. At the same time, smaller farmers, who account for more than a half of the total production, have to sell all their crops in the fall, according to Rosagromarket. This leads to the growth in the prices of vegetables in winter and spring, experts say.
According to Elena Turina, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Marketing, about 70% of the crop is not conserved till the summer. However, she notes that the vegetable storage facilities are actively being built in Russia. Now it is one of the most popular investments in agriculture. Whereas previously it was storage facilities for 15-20,000 MT, now facilities for 100,000 MT are built. As some experts say, in two years, there will be enough storage facilities to preserve the half of the crop.
Meanwhile, now prices of vegetables in Russia change dramatically depending on the season.