The fruit growers in the Franconian Switzerland expect to have a much lower sweet cherry yield this year than they had in 2018. The yield in the next seven weeks is expected to be around 1200 tons, the CEO of Franken fruit, Ronny Trägner, told the Deutsche Pressedienst. In the previous year, the yield in Europe's largest contiguous cherry cultivation area was still at 1500 tonnes. Franken Obst markets cherries, berries and plums from the region on behalf of three fruit cooperatives.
At the lower elevations of the Franconian Switzerland, the harvest of fruits has been going on since last week. Especially sweet cherries of the early "Burlat" variety were introduced, said district of Forchheim fruit consultant Christof Vogel. "At higher elevations, however, the harvest will probably begin in ten days," he said.
Image: Franken Obst GmbH
Decline in yield
The earnings decline expected by Franken Obst in comparison to the previous year was mainly attributable to cold spells in the spring. Trägner: "In some regions, the cherries suffered from frost and hailstorms." However, only a few regions were affected. Whether and how the decline in revenue will affect consumer prices is still unclear, said Trägner. Franken Obst supplies wholesalers as well as supermarkets with table cherries. In the Franconian Switzerland cherries are grown on about 1,000 hectares. 
Image: Franken Obst GmbH
In spite of the quite cool Spring, fruit consultant Vogel expected a "relatively good cherry harvest". However, a prerequisite is that it stays dry during the harvest season. When there is heavy rainfall, there is the danger the cherries will burst. The district chairman of the Upper Franconian Farmers' Association, Hermann Greif, judged the harvest prospects to be "generally good". But he also made it clear: In the next two weeks, the "sweet cherry district of Forchheim" should be spared from heavy rainfall and hail.
Source: dpa / n-tv.de
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