On average, Bulgarian orchards experienced a 10-percent production loss in MY2016 due to weather-related fruit damage. Only 73 percent of tart cherries could be harvested, as well as 79 percent of sweet cherries. About 90 percent of peaches were harvestable, stated the Bulgarian Stone Fruit Annual report from the USDA. Initial USDA figures report that the total cherry production in 2017 should be up by almost 2,000 MT compared to the previous year.
Cherry producer Liliana Dineva from Megafruit shared that, "Growers in northern Bulgaria were the hardest hit by the frost, followed by a lot of rain and lack of sun later in the growing season, which caused cherries to be very small. Small sizes meant that all of our cherry production had to be sent to processing. Luckily, the prices for processed were pretty normal, around 0.40 EUR/kg."
Sweet cherry acres continued to account for the highest share of Bulgaria’s total fruit (stone and top fruit) area harvested at 23 percent.
Liliana shared that their plum production fared slightly better, despite a lot of losses from frosts, "We had lower plum yields this season, but the fruits that survived were good quality, with average prices."
Growers continue to invest in orchard expansion supported by EU funds. In MY2016, the MinAg reported 14,700 HA of newly planted fruit orchards, with stone fruit accounting for about 30 percent (including peaches, cherries, plums, and apricots).
Area planted growth over the last three years was 13 percent for peaches and 40 percent for cherries (2016 vs 2013). As a result, the share of young trees which have not reached production was four percent in 2016 for peaches and 11 percent for sweet cherries.
Bulgarian growers are in a difficult position and are still very susceptible to bad weather.
"Most growers would jump at the chance to install weather protection systems like netting or wind generators, unfortunately it is the huge costs of these systems which makes it impossible for most growers. We had looked into installing wind generators for our company, but at a price of €200,000 per unit and we needed up to 8-10, it just wasn't possible. That is the thing about this business, people shouldn't expect to get rich from agriculture. We are at the mercy of mother nature, working in a factory under the sky," Liliana concluded.
For more information:
Liliana Dineva
Megafruit Ltd.
Tel: +359 2 981 3775
Fax: +359 2 981 6435
Email: ldineva@megafruit-bg.com
megafruit-bg.com