Due to unexpected frost on the 23th and 26th of April, the production of the "Oro de Tlaxcala", a peach notorious for its sensitivity to climate changes, suffered a 70% drop, leading to a loss of over 30 million Pesos.
Abel Hernández Lima, president of the national Sistema Producto Durazno, says the loss is “substantial”, because of the already low fruit production in the country. “One kilogram will come down to an average of 10 Pesos, bringing a total loss of millions.”
Hernández Lima stresses the severity of the situation. Some plantations have yielded no produce whatsoever, while others produced half of what was expected, dropping the expected harvest to 70%.
“There is no other option that to keep working on genetic innovations,” says Hernández Lima. “New species of peach have proven themselves better equipped against pests and disease, and also against the climate.”
The "Oro de Tlaxcala" in particular is quickly being replaced by other, more resilient species. Over 15 plantations have already begun to make the change.
The "Oro de Tlaxcala" however, still represents almost 95% of the total output, and future drops will depend on individual producers. The downside seems to be that this current species of peach excels in taste and quality. Simply put: it is one of the favourite peaches worldwide. Unfortunately, under the present conditions, production can no longer be maintained.
Next Friday, states Hernández Lima, the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (Inifap), will advocate the cultivation of a new type of peach, the “Rocío”. The peach, already registered, is produced in July and August.
The president of Sistema Producto Durazno calculates that in less than five years, the "Oro de Tlaxcala", will be replaced by other species, and that the majority of the growers will have accepted the change.
Source: La Jornada de Oriente