The stone fruit farmers of Vega Alta estimate that, if there are no last-minute incidents, this year's total stone fruit production will be similar to that of 2022, when they managed to market almost 300,000 tons in Vega Alta alone and just under 400,000 in the entire Region of Murcia, as confirmed to La Verdad by the president of Coag Rural Initiative, Miguel Angel Piñera.
Piñera said that the evolution of the crop was the same as last year because last year's production was also affected by frosts in February that affected the extra early fruit, so the production will be more or less the same as last year.
Coag insists that the 20-day delay in the harvest caused by the low temperatures in February and the first half of March should not affect the quality of the final product because the trees readjust during the process. However, the production will be delayed. Piñera points out: "We are seeing very fast blooms on many farms, not a week-long bloom, but a two or three-day bloom, which is the time it takes for the trees to sprout their leaves. Of course, these are things that we have not seen before, but we'll have to get used to them.”
The apricot could, once again, be the most affected variety this year. "We have noticed that there is little production, but we can't concretely say why it is happening," Piñera stated. "Everything is normal in nectarine and red peach crops. There are no fungi or humidity issues, so we believe that there will be acceptable production,” the president of Coag added. Regarding the mid-season fruit, he stated: "It's still too early to know how the campaign will go, but we believe that there will be no problem unless a hailstorm reduces production."
There is an increase in the planting of Romea and Baby Gold 6 varieties, he added. Both were included in the PGI Melocotón de Cieza. "This past winter, many trees have been grafted with these two varieties, which have the highest quality and are best adapted to the terrain." "This is very positive for our fruit, as being under this designation increases its fame," he added.
Source: laverdad.es