After hail and wind had already hit Val di Non (Trento) on August 9th, another hailstorm swept the Bolzano area damaging Gala apples that were ready for harvest. Some orchards don't even have nets, to favour the development of the fruits' typical colour.
Bolzano's Rttr TV network interviewed a few producers. Walter Thomas from Egna explained that "it's a true disaster. We were supposed to start harvesting just a few hours after the storm, everything was ready. 100% of my produce is damaged and I'll have to sell it all to the processing industry."
A video of the devastating effect of the wind on the orchard
"We can no longer work without nets, they have become essential. 2017 seems to be cursed, as frost and hail spared no one. People don't understand that the lack of produce doesn't only damage producers, but the entire sector," added producer Giorgio Nones.
Hubert Zanotti, representative from the Egna producer association, said that inspectors will now have to assess the damage. "Apples under nets can be harvested with no problem, but the rest have been heavily damaged. Nothing can be harvested before the inspectors come, though."
"We need to cover more orchards with nets, it's the only solution. However, no subsidies are granted for it."
130 k/h winds swept Romagna on 10th August. The province most affected was once again Ravenna, but there was some damage in Ferrara as well.
In Faenza, the wind made all the fruit that was ready to be harvested, such as summer pears and plums, fall to the ground. What was even worse, it made entire rows of trees collapse in intensive orchards.
