The cost of ingredients for borscht has gone up in Ukraine: how much do the ingredients cost?

At the end of September, a 3–4-liter pot of classic Ukrainian borscht costs about 153 UAH. Compared to the calculation from September 17, the cost of the dish has risen by more than 8 UAH.

A calculation of the cost of borscht based on prices as of September 29 shows that the rise in the price of pork ribs had the greatest impact on the total cost.

The same recipe used in the previous calculation is used for comparison. For a pot with a capacity of approximately 3–4 liters, you will need:

• pork ribs – 400 g;
• white cabbage – 500 g;
• potatoes – 300 g;
• carrots – 200 g;
• beets – 200 g;
• onions – 150 g;
• tomatoes – 300 g;
• sunflower oil – 30 ml.

Salt and spices were not included in the calculation.

At current prices, the required amount of ingredients costs:

• 500 g of cabbage – 13.18 UAH;
• 300 g of potatoes – 4.74 UAH;
• 200 g of carrots – 3.41 UAH;
• 200 g of beets – 3.63 UAH;
• 150 g of onions – 2.81 UAH;
• 300 g of tomatoes – 17.06 UAH;
• 400 g of pork ribs – 103.99 UAH;
• 30 ml of sunflower oil – about 3.69 UAH.

Thus, the total cost of the main ingredients for a pot of borscht is 152.50 UAH, or 153 UAH when rounded.

For comparison, on September 17, the same set of ingredients cost 144.28 UAH. Thus, in just 12 days, the cost of a pot of borscht increased by approximately 8.22 UAH, or 5.7%.

The rise in the price of pork ribs had the greatest impact on the final cost of the dish.

On September 17, 400 g of this meat cost 95.99 UAH, while on September 29, the price rose to 103.99 UAH. Thus, the meat alone added about 8 UAH to the cost of the pot.

At the same time, some vegetables, on the contrary, became cheaper during this period.

In particular, 500 g of white cabbage now costs about 13.18 UAH, compared to 13.90 UAH on September 17.

Prices also fell for:

• carrots—from 3.54 UAH to 3.41 UAH per 200 g;
• onions – from 2.92 UAH to 2.81 UAH per 150 g.

At the same time, potatoes and tomatoes have become more expensive.

300 g of potatoes now cost about 4.74 UAH, compared to 4.49 UAH on September 17, and 300 g of tomatoes cost 17.06 UAH, compared to 16.16 UAH.

The cost of sunflower oil is calculated separately. The average price of “Oleina” oil as of September 29 is 104.66 UAH per 850 ml. Accordingly, the 30 ml needed to make borscht costs approximately 3.69 UAH.

Thus, despite price drops for some vegetables, the total cost of a pot of borscht in the second half of September increased primarily due to the rise in the price of pork ribs.

On Ukraine’s domestic market, prices for onions have risen since the beginning of this week. Average wholesale prices are already 21% higher than at the end of last week.

A gradual increase in prices for imported medications is expected in Ukraine due to changes in the dollar exchange rate, rising fuel costs, and higher shipping expenses. This was reported by Oleksandr Komarida, chairman of the board of the European Pharmaceutical Association.