REUTERS
However, the yield of blueberries in Ukraine may grow by a third, up to 4,000 tonnes.
Chairman of the Ukrainian Association of Agrarian Exports Dmytro Kroshka says the yield of apples in Ukraine in 2019 may decline by a third to 460,000 tonnes over unfavorable weather conditions.
Read alsoCanada interested in buying Ukrainian eggs, meat, apples
"If last year we collected 675,000 tonnes of apples, today we expect their gross yield at 460,000 tonnes," he said at a press conference on July 9.
The expert added that the stone fruit yield in Ukraine in 2019 could fall by 15%, to 38,000 tonnes from 45,000 tonnes. At the same time, the yield of blueberries in Ukraine may rose by a third, up to 4,000 tonnes.
"This season will definitely become less fruitful against the previous one. According to our estimates, we will see a decline by a quarter in the harvest of all crops, both stone fruit and berries, at agri-businesses," the expert said.
Kroshka also noted the major cause behind the decline in this year's harvest of fruit and berry crops is unfavorable weather conditions, namely temperature fluctuations, the rainy spring and dry June.
The Ukrainian Horticultural Association earlier reported that the apple harvest in Ukraine in 2018 grew by 35% to a record high 1.5 million tonnes.