The frost destroyed almost one hundred percent of the fruit harvest in the whole of Bohemia. Growers in the Pilsen Region are no exception. This year there will be no apples in the Nebílov orchards or in Břasy.
Pictured is the owner of Schwarz Vranov Gardens in Břasy in the Rokycan region, Richard Schwarz.
| Photo: Diary/Veronika Krátká
Although the fruit growers tried to protect the flowering trees from frost with all possible measures, it was of no use. “We smoked, burned straw, fogged, watered, but it was minus five degrees and it didn’t help. The problem arose because everything was three or four weeks earlier in nature this year, and we already had the orchard in full bloom. The frosts came as usual, but the apple blossoms should have been closed at this time,” regrets the owner Richard Schwarz of thirty-hectare orchards in Břasy in Rokycansk.
Sets face the same situation in Nebílovy in the south of Pilsen with an area of 45 hectares. “Despite all measures, the apples are one hundred percent gone. We’ll see how the cherries turn out in the next few days, I’m not sure yet. Hopefully we can keep the pears. There will also be fewer strawberries that have partially frozen. We won’t do anything about it. Nature has shown us again that it is more powerful than us,” says Jana Zikmundová, head of the Nebílov Gardens. They already experienced a similar situation in the Nebílov orchards in 2011. “Everything froze then, but the frost did not hit the ice men until May,” reminds Jana Zikmundová.
Apple trees sprout on a mouse’s ear. Gardeners are afraid of frost
For fruit growers in Břasy, the situation is fatal also because they face a year and a half of expenses without any income. “When we finish selling last year’s harvest, we will stop receiving money. If it goes well, and next year’s harvest does not freeze, we will have another income only in September next year. Of course, employees must be paid. We will therefore use any help,” adds Richard Schwarz.
According to estimates, damage to crops in the entire country will exceed one billion crowns. The Ministry of Agriculture will launch a program with the help of 70 to 100 million crowns for fruit growers, its amount will be specified later. This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný and the President of the Fruit Union Martin Ludvík. Fruit growers, unlike other business sectors, do not have the option of protecting themselves with insurance in case of frost damage, this is an uninsurable risk.
Flowering rapeseed in the Pilsen region, mid-April 2024:
Source: Diary/Veronika Krátká
Weather fluctuations are not good for agricultural crops either. Oilseed rape flowered three weeks earlier in the Pilsen Region this year, than usual. “Frosts are not good for canola. In previous years, it has already happened that its stems have cracked due to frost. This will of course limit plant growth. Fortunately, this year we did not notice any damage to canola or other crops. The rapeseed was twisted after the night frosts, but it held up,” says Jaroslav Šíma, chairman of the Osecka Agricultural and Trade Company. Farmers from Osek na Rokycanska grow rapeseed on 330 hectares.
