Easter Basket 2026: How Prices Have Changed Over the Year

According to information provided by the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB), this year's Easter basket demonstrates a substantial price increase. The budget option for the Easter basket, which includes traditional attributes of the celebration such as Easter bread, a dozen dyed eggs, salt, horseradish, and a candle, costs an average of 482 hryvnias. This is 12.7% more than in 2025. If hard cheese, sausage, and mustard are added to this set, the total cost of the basket rises to 965 hryvnias, which is 13.8% more expensive than last year. The maximum filling of the basket, which includes Cahors wine, fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and lard, will cost 1,387 hryvnias, marking a 17% increase compared to 2025.

Prices for products that are key components of the Easter basket are rising against the backdrop of a general increase in prices in the Ukrainian food market. Ahead of Easter 2026, there is a noticeable rise in prices for essential festive attributes. The main factors contributing to the increase in the cost of Easter products include egg and dairy products, dried fruits, and greenhouse vegetables.

One of the most notable price increases is for chicken eggs. As of early April 2026, the average price for a dozen eggs has risen by 4% over the month, reaching 86.4 hryvnias, which is 13% more compared to last year. This figure has raised concerns among consumers, as eggs are a crucial ingredient for preparing Easter dishes.

Dairy products, which also traditionally hold an important place in the Easter basket, are showing some price stabilization. Analysts note that prices for raw milk have decreased, while products with a short shelf life are responding to seasonal fluctuations. However, butter and hard cheese remain at high price levels, exerting primary inflationary pressure in the dairy basket. Thus, at the beginning of April 2026, the average price for butter is 141 hryvnias for 180 grams, which is 16% more on a yearly basis, while the price remained unchanged over the month. Hard cheese also shows a similar situation, with its cost reaching 680 hryvnias per kilogram, which is 13% more than a year ago.

There is also a significant increase in prices for greenhouse vegetables. As of April 2026, the price for greenhouse cucumbers has risen to 240 hryvnias per kilogram, marking a 147% increase compared to last year. Prices for tomatoes have also risen to 215 hryvnias per kilogram, reflecting a 90% increase. However, open-field vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, and beets have seen significant price reductions of 84%, 74%, and 75%, respectively.

In the meat market, there is relative stabilization ahead of the holidays. The price for pork neck has risen to 325 hryvnias per kilogram at the beginning of April, which is 3% more over the month and 7% more year-on-year. Lard has also increased by 15%, reaching 274 hryvnias per kilogram. Meanwhile, sugar has decreased by 12.6% to 8.6 hryvnias for 300 grams, vanillin has dropped by 26.8% to 6 hryvnias, and powdered sugar has fallen by 2.5% to 6.7 hryvnias.

UCAB notes that the increase in the cost of egg and dairy products has impacted this year's 'Easter bread index.' To prepare 3-4 medium Easter breads using a classic recipe, one needs to allocate 357.2 hryvnias, which is 12.2% more than last year. The largest price increase was observed for 200 grams of raisins, which have risen to 53.4 hryvnias (+27%), 200 grams of butter, which costs 138 hryvnias (+13.1%), and milk, which has reached 34 hryvnias for half a liter (+11.6%).

It is worth noting that last week in the Ukrainian market, amid warming and increased supply, greenhouse cucumbers became cheaper, while prices for tomatoes increased due to limited production volumes and dependence on imports. These changes in pricing policy reflect the dynamics of the Ukrainian food market, which continuously adapts to changes in supply and demand.