April precipitation added moisture to the soil on farms but also affected the plantations of early walnut varieties, which had already formed fruit buds. To protect the future harvest of early walnuts, which, taking into account the weather in the first half of spring, is unlikely to be high, experts from the Union of Associations of Nut Crops of Moldova recommend that farmers in no case refuse April treatments of orchards with copper-containing fungicides and insecticides. First of all, the need to preserve the harvest of the orchards of the early export variety of Peschansky walnut, as well as some varieties of American selection, is emphasized.
The current situation is exacerbated by the fact that sales of walnuts of the 2022 harvest for exports on the Moldovan market were weak throughout the current marketing season – in terms of both purchase prices and volumes of purchased products, EastFruit experts report. Because of this, many walnut farmers intend to cut production costs in the coming season. In particular, they are willing to reduce the norms of “non-critical” fertilization of orchards with phosphorus and potash fertilizers.
Along with this, according to the experts of the union, the walnut harvest in Moldova in spring depends heavily on fungicidal protection, while the costs for it are usually quite small. Thus, it makes no economic sense to ignore it.
For more information: east-fruit.com