Yesterday the growers started to inventory the damage done by the hail last Sunday night. 60 companies have now reported their damage to hail damage insurer OFH. Gert Jan van Dijk expects most to be in by now. "All the reports are from top fruit growers and there may be a few more companies today who decide to report light hail damage to the OFH." According to Van Dijk most reports are from the region of Zeeuws Vlaanderen to the Overbetuwe. "We have ascertained from reports that it is mainly companies south of the river Waal and around the Meuse that have been hit, where the damage varies from lightly hit to completely worthless. The damage from hail manifests itself when the flesh of the fruit has been hit or a few days later through brown colourations and cork formation. This is why we are still waiting to start up appraisal work."
Not just the Benelux
Hail damage insurer Vereinigte Hagel was also kept busy. "The current amount of reports from top fruit growers is at 21 and the damage experts will start appraisals as soon as possible," says Jan Schreuder. "The damage varies but looks serious in a number of places." The heavy downpour - 100mm of rain in 24 hours - has also caused a lot of damage in the open ground vegetable cultivation and agriculture according to Schreuder. So close to the harvest, the dejection among growers with damage is heavy. The European insurer reports that it is not just the Benelux that was affected by the hail: "Eastern Germany, Poland and northern Italy have also been hit by the weather this year. Luckily, it isn't as bad in Lithuania, Latvia and Denmark."
Arnold Verhoeckx from Rossum doet speaks to bij Hart van Nederland. Within two minutes 25 to 30% of the apples were damaged, which amounts to around 75,000 Euro.
Damage can't be limited
Siep Koning of NFO Fruit calls the situation 'very sour': "According to my information there are 80 to 100 companies who were hit lightly to very heavily by the hail. Right before the harvest the fruit is more sensitive and that makes it vulnerable. As a grower you can't do anything to limit the damage this close to the harvest."