Greenhouses market of Ukraine

Great significance in regular green-stuffs supply for population belongs to greenhouse vegetable growing. This year in Ukraine there were 3000 ha of land under greenhouses: 800 ha of glass greenhouses and 2000 ha — under film greenhouses. There were 78 greenhouses with the capacity from 5 to 30 ha of land. Since 1990, greenhouse vegetable growing has almost stopped, instead film constructions under stand-by and solar heating became popular. Significant part of greenhouses (especially film ones) today is not on-stream or of low-end level. Currently only 2, 700 ha of land are under different kind of greenhouse exploitation. Annually new greenhouses are built, film ones prevail: in 2005 — 6 ha, 2006 — 10 ha, 2007 — 20 ha, 2008 — 7 ha. However for Ukraine these areas are too small, to provide population need with early-growing vegetables.

Today there are over 60 greenhouses in Ukraine. The largest are:

1. «Kombinat „Teplichny“» OJSC (48,5 ha) , Kyiv region;
2. «Krymteplitsya» Ltd (24 ha), Crimea;
3. «Zmiivska vegetable factory» OJSC (47 ha), Kharkiv region;
4. Research agricultural centre «Pushcha-Vodytsya» (36,6 ha), Kyiv region;
5. «Provesen OJSC (18 ha), Lviv region;
6. Uman Greenhouse Company (28 ha) Cherkassy region.

Ukrainian greenhouses produce cucumbers and tomatoes as basic cultures, and also leaf lettuce, bunching onion, parsley, dill, spinach, bell pepper, egg-plant, radish and other vegetables. Besides, flowers and ornamental plants. In the structure of areas, taken under greenhouses, 95–98% occupy tomatoes (almost 60%) and cucumbers, 1% by bell peppers and egg-plants, other vegetables occupy an insignificant area. In the south regions of Ukraine film greenhouse areas have been increased under bell peppers, egg-plants and herbaceous crops, some private companies grow early melon cultures under film constructions.

In 2009 59,8% of greenhouse vegetables were produced by private households 40,1% — are greenhouse companies and only 0,1% are by farms. Areas under primitive greenhousing and film constructions — amount to 2,36 thousand ha, or 81,4% of all greenhouse growing areas in Ukraine.

Imported products are the main competitors for Ukrainian greenhouses. They constantly increase production output and area of destination. Ukraine imports more than 10 thousand t cucumbers and 45–60 thousand t tomatoes each year. The best period for import is from November till May, when Ukrainian products are not yet presented enough. Today at the market during winter time the transportable hybrids of tomato, imported from North Africa, Spain, Turkey, Uzbekistan and China are presented.