This year, the first strawberries from film tunnels on the market in Broniszach have reached prices ranging between 21 and 26 złoty per kilo (about 5 to 6.2 Euro). This is 50% more than a year ago. Other fruits and vegetables are also more expensive.
Strawberries are scarce and not very ripe. Early varieties of field crops were severely affected by frost. "The situation should improve with later varieties, but the peak of the harvest will surely be delayed," stated Małgorzata Skoczewska, spokesperson for the Broniszach market.
Suppliers also talk about the loss of cherries. In the opinion of Grzegorz Pagacz, a producer from Wieluń county, frosts will probably reduce the production of these fruits by half compared to last year. This will entail much higher prices.
Last year, Poland recorded a record production of cherries, 54 thousand tonnes, compared to 48 thousand tonnes a year earlier. At the beginning of last season, i.e. at the end of June, cherries cost 5-12 złoty per kilo (1.19 to 2.86 Euro), depending on the variety.
Cherries, apricots, currants and pears are expected to be more expensive than last year.
The second wave of May frosts affected the flowering apple trees, although Zbigniew Przybyszewski, a grower from Grójec, notes that it is not yet possible to estimate the losses in apple orchards. The flowers that have been damaged won't develop into fruit; however, he hopes for the development of later flowers that can yield fruit.
An additional difficulty in field crops is the lack of pollination. It was cold, so the bees did not come out of the hive and did not pollinate the flowers.
"High soil moisture saved some crops from frost damage; however, there will still be some harvest delays. Consumers must be prepared to pay higher prices for cabbage and cauliflowers," points out Małgorzata Skoczewska.
Domestic cabbage costs between 3 and 4 złoty per piece (0.71 to 0.95 Euro), but the heads are small and weakly clustered. Young cabbage imported from Macedonia is bigger and has more compact leaves, but it is more expensive: 5.5 złoty per piece (about 1.31 Euro).
The prices of domestic tomatoes are now up 30%, so they are more expensive than last year, with a wholesale price of 4 złoty per kilo (about 0.95 Euro). As for asparagus, even though last week prices were at the price level of the previous year, now they cost from 14 to 20 złoty per kilo (3.34 to 4.77 Euro), which is about 20 percent more expensive than last year.
Source: finanse.wp.pl
