Russian vegetable harvest to increase 5% to 1.65 mln tonnes in 2024 - bank

MOSCOW. Nov 7 (Interfax) - The gross vegetable harvest in 2024 may exceed the figures for the previous year by 5% and stand at 1.65 million tonnes, analysts at Russian Agricultural Bank said.

The same level of growth is also expected for fruit and berries, the harvest for which could be 1.7 million tonnes, the bank told Interfax.

A total of 632,000 tonnes of cucumbers, 487,000 tonnes of tomatoes and 28,400 tonnes of other vegetables were harvested in January-September. The Central Federal District produced the most vegetables, at 408,400 tonnes.

Sales of fruit and vegetables grow steadily from year to year, analysts said. Retail trade totaled 964 billion rubles in H1 and may exceed 2 trillion rubles by the end of the year. Retail sales of fruit and vegetables account for 8.2% of all retail trade in food products in 2024. The share of sales between fruit and vegetables is almost equal - 53% and 47%, respectively.

A surge in sales of vegetables traditionally occurs in winter and spring, analysts said. In particular, growth stood at 9.2% month-on-month in February, 23.6% MoM in March and 4.7% MoM in April. Sales of fruit mainly increase in spring and summer.

"Aside from the basic consumer basket and available seasonal offers, new segments which are rapidly gaining momentum have great potential on the fruit and vegetable market. For example, sales of green crops, lettuces, avocados, kiwis, nectarines, apricots and peaches exceeded 10% in the first half of the year," head of Russian Agricultural Bank's Center for Sustainable Development Natalya Khudyakova said.

Consumption of vegetables and gourds will total 107 kg per person this year, compared to 105 kg last year. Consumption of fruit will be 67 kg per person in 2024 versus 66 kg in 2023.