Ukraine cold snap drops fruit and berry forecast by 29%
Consequently, the national forecast of yields of fruit and berries was reduced from 2.473 million to 1.755 million tonnes, the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry said on its website, citing reports it had received from regional administrations.
The apricots, peaches and sweet cherries were affected by the freezing temperatures the most, with projected crop losses of 52.9 percent, 47.4 percent and 38.6 percent respectively, the ministry said. Stone fruit crops are now predicted at 292,000 tonnes. In particular, the yield of apricots is projected at 33,300 tonnes, that of peaches and nectarines at 9,700 tonnes. Their earlier forecasts were 71,000 tonnes and 18,000 tonnes, respectively.
The ministry projects that the loss of the yield of grapes will be 13 percent. Farmers are expected to gather 333,000 tonnes of grapes this year against the previously projected 380,000 tonnes.
source: newsghana.com.gh, kyivpost.com
