Poland: Over 60% drop in cherry production in 2017
According to data published in the September 2017 report prepared by the Central Statistical Office, Poland's harvest of fruit from trees has been 30-35% lower than last year. This was a result of the impact of spring frosts, which caused severe losses.
Stone fruit trees suffered the most from these unfavourable conditions for cultivation; hence, the biggest losses in the production were recorded by sweet cherries, sour cherries, apricots and peaches. When it comes to cherries, while the overall drop in production amounted to about 60%, in the Rawa district, which is a significant producer of the fruit, the sweet cherry and sour cherry productions fell by up to 90%, depending on the variety and location.
Production of cherry orchards in 2017 had initially been estimated at 70,000 tonnes, but only about 20 thousand tonnes have eventually been harvested.
In addition to the weather conditions, other factors that affected the yield in stone fruit plantations included agrotechnical errors. The rainy weather and the high cost of protection caused producers to use fewer plant protection chemicals, which was one of the reasons for the appearance of fungal diseases.
According to data published by the Ministry of Agriculture on its website in late June 2017, cherry prices on wholesale markets ranged from a minimum of 8 złoty per kilo (about 1.88 Euro) on the Wielkopolska Agricultural and Horticultural Market in Poznan to a maximum of 25 złoty per kg (about 5.88 Euro) on the wholesale market in Lodz. In June 2016, wholesale prices of cherries were significantly lower, oscillating between 4 and 12 złoty/kg (0.94-2.82 Euro).
Source: sadyogrody.pl
