The Belgian cherry season seems to be well and truly underway. Larger volumes from outdoor cultivation are still a little while off, but several growers have already started harvesting the popular summer fruit under cover. "We started picking on Thursday, and we're seeing many customers immediately switch from Spanish or French cherries to the domestic product," says Jos Amelinckx of Amelinckx Asperges & Fruit.
© Jannick Flach | FreshPlaza.com
First Nimba cherries
"We started picking from the tops," continues the grower from Hingene in Flanders. "That's where they ripen first, and the trees are a bit fuller. For now, things are progressing steadily with the first variety, Nimba, but in a week or two, we expect to start harvesting Kordia in larger volumes. We're also more than satisfied with the quality. We've had cold nights and sunny days, which have allowed the cherries to become perfectly firm."
Pears more affected by moisture deficiency
"Moreover, they're grown under protective covers, so there's no dust on them, and the cherries are beautifully shiny. They've also been well pollinated. At first, we were concerned they might not grow thick enough because of the sheer number of trees, but everything turned out very well. We had a dry spring with a north-easterly wind, but we were still able to irrigate properly in the greenhouses, so there was enough moisture during blossom time, and pollination was successful."
"This isn't always the case, because during the flowering period in a dry spring, there's no guarantee bees will reach the blossoms. Apparently, moisture is needed to trigger a chemical reaction that produces an attractant. The bees respond to this. In pears, for instance, we're now seeing that pollination failed in areas where we couldn't provide enough moisture. The blossoms were there, but a lot of leaf drop followed. This indicates poor pollination. Due to the lack of moisture, the bees couldn't extract nectar, resulting in very little fruit on the trees. The fruit that does develop will eventually grow to a nice size due to reduced competition, but overall numbers are down."
© Amelinckx
The white-bellied cherries with a blush
For now, the focus is on the upcoming cherry season. "We've made a good start. We now have the first Nimba cherries, and the first Samba cherries have arrived, but large volumes will follow in about two weeks with the Kordia variety, alongside other varieties like Merchant Noire, Areko, and Carmen. In addition, we've picked the first white-bellied cherries with a blush—these include the Starblush, Papillon, and Rosy varieties. The first cherries are in high demand. Spanish and French cherries are available, but they're also priced above £16. Domestically, we're already over 20, although volumes are still very limited. Still, people seem willing to pay. It's a demand-driven market, which always makes it easier to sell, especially once the sun comes out again."
Apricots started
In addition to cherries, Amelinckx has also started harvesting this season's apricots. "We picked the first ones last week. They've been nicely thinned out, so every apricot is the same size, which looks great in our packaging. We pick them while they're still firm, so they can ripen for another two days at room temperature, after which they're perfect for consumption. If you pick them too ripe, they turn mealy before they reach the consumer. Apricots are being grown more and more here. Of course, it's traditionally a southern fruit, but we're also able to grow them here until they're soft and tender, which is ideal because no transport is needed. We don't have large volumes, but they still make their way to the consumer."
© Amelinckx
Packaged apricots
For more information:
Amelinckx Asperges & Fruit
Koningin Astridlaan 171
2880 Hingene, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0) 475 26 99 15
[email protected]
www.topasperges.com
https://www.facebook.com/topasperges
