The production of cherries in Alfarnate, a municipality in Alta Axarquía, in the Spanish province of Malaga, has suffered a considerable decline this season which, according to the estimations of producers and the City Council itself, could amount to 80% of the harvest.
The abundant rains and even hail recorded during the cherry blossom in March and April are to blame for these losses. On the one hand, the moisture has led to the appearance of fungi on the flowers, and on the other hand, many of the cherries have been cracked, so their appearance is not the most suitable for sale.
Some of the most affected varieties are the Prime Giant, which is one of the earliest, and the Burlat. For this reason, the hope of many producers is that the second half of the harvest will be more profitable, since other varieties, such as the Lavin, which may be less affected by the inclement weather conditions of early spring, are entering the scene.
However, cherry growers in Alfarnate, who manage around fifty hectares in the town, have not only been affected by the rains and hail recorded between March and April. The cherry trees in this municipality are also affected by other problems.
In addition to the presence of the Capnodis tenebrionis beetle in the region, which is damaging plantations, climate change has also become a challenge. Cherry trees need at least 300 hours of temperatures below seven degrees Celsius each winter, and Alfarnate, despite being the town with the highest altitude in the province of Malaga, has not reached those figures in recent years.
Price and sale
Given all these problems, it's no wonder that the price of Alfarnate cherries has risen considerably this year. The two-kilo box, which is the best-selling format in the town, costs between seven and twelve Euro. The shortage of these fruits has logically led to an increase in their price.
In addition to Alfarnate, there are other municipalities in Malaga where cherries are also currently being harvested, although indeed to a lesser extent. The most noteworthy are those in the Genal Valley, such as Jubrique and Genalguacil, and some of the Sierra de las Nieves, such as Yunquera.
Source: diariosur.es
