The economist assessed the impact of the new GOST on the fruit market

The new GOST, which regulates the production of "green" fruits, is voluntary and forms a separate segment of products labeled "Green Standard" on the market. This approach will not change the structure of the entire fruit market, but will create an additional niche for producers willing to invest in eco-friendly technologies. Ahmed Yusupov, an economist and partner at the Goldman Energy communications agency, told Izvestia about this on March 11.

According to him, a similar model has already been used before, and in two years Roskachestvo has issued a little more than 40 certificates. The scale of this segment is still small. At the same time, Russian fruit production continues to grow: for example, apples already provide about 85-87% of domestic consumption, and by 2028 the Ministry of Agriculture expects to achieve full self-sufficiency with a harvest of about 2.4 million tons.

"The new standard applies only to those manufacturers who are willing to additionally invest in greening production for the sake of a competitive advantage on the shelf," Yusupov said.

The expert explained that for farms that decide to receive the "Green Standard" label, the cost of production will increase. Switching to predominantly biological plant protection products is more expensive than traditional synthetic pesticides. In addition, additional costs are associated with the certification and control of all stages of production — from cultivation to storage and transportation.

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According to the expert, depending on the culture and economy, such changes can increase the cost by 15-30%. This will inevitably affect the price of the products.

"This inevitably translates into the price on the shelf — labeled "green" fruits will cost more than regular ones. Nothing will change for the mass consumer: the bulk of apples, plums and cherries grown using standard technologies will be sold exactly the same as they are now," he explained.

Yusupov also noted that the introduction of the standard is part of a broader policy for the development of sustainable agriculture. In 2022, the law on the development of "green" products was adopted, in 2023 a standard for vegetables was introduced, and now similar requirements apply to fruits.

According to the expert, for large horticultural farms, primarily in the Krasnodar Territory and the North Caucasus Federal District, where more than half of industrial fruit production is concentrated, the new standard can become a tool for competitive positioning and expanding export opportunities. At the same time, for manufacturers who are not ready for additional investments, it does not create mandatory requirements and does not restrict work in the market.

On the same day, it became known that the new GOST for fresh fruits, pome and stone fruits with improved characteristics will be introduced in Russia from June 1, 2026. According to the Rosstandart document, which was studied by TASS, the use of improved industrial products, including agrochemicals, fertilizers and plant protection products, is allowed in fruit cultivation.

On February 20, Rosstandart adopted GOST for imported bananas, which will enter into force in March 2026. According to the new requirements, bananas should be about 14 cm long. The fruits should also be green or light green so that they can ripen in Russian warehouses.

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