“The night frosts were devastating for our company, but also for other fruit growers in the Czech Republic. We estimate ninety to one hundred percent damage in our apple orchards. According to my information, other fruit growers are in a similar situation,” Štěpán Chára, director of Bohemia Apple, told Novinkám.
In addition to the Czech Republic, frost affected orchardists in Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the north of France and the Benelux countries. “A big impact on the fruit market will be especially the outage in Poland, which is the largest grower of apples, cherries and currants in Europe,” pointed out the chairman of the Fruit Union, Martin Ludvík.
He did not dare to estimate the price development yet. “We import most of the fruit, the European market and chains operating all over the world decide. It can be expected that fruit will also be imported from countries outside the European Union,” said Ludvík.
Excellent promised fruit growers support, damages will exceed a billion
Economy
According to him, there will be a minimum of own fruit in the Czech Republic, not only large fruit growers, but also gardeners and self-providers have lost their harvest. Moravia is only slightly better off – for now.
“This year’s situation is really extraordinary, because a few weeks ago the highest temperatures in history repeatedly fell. Vegetation has accelerated its development to an unprecedented degree, and that is the basis of all problems,” agrarian analyst Petr Havel told Novinkám.
Best selling fruit
As for apple trees, for example, we will have to wait for more accurate estimates of the damaged crop. According to Havel, however, it is possible that more than half of the production will be in Poland and the Czech Republic. According to the Polish media, local apple and grape growers are talking about crop damage of up to 70 percent.
“Our apples will be missing from the market. They will not import the cheap ones from Poland, but apples from southern countries – from Spain or Italy and the subtropics. And they are more expensive. Therefore, apples will certainly become more expensive, I dare say at least ten percent. I wouldn’t be surprised if we bought a kilo of apples for 40 to 50 crowns,” added Havel.
Of course, it will depend on the demand, whether people will buy at such prices. Apples are the best-selling fruit in the Czech Republic. According to statistics, a kilogram of apples cost an average of 36 crowns in March, 31 crowns a year ago. Grape wine, which was also destroyed by frost in many places, cost an average of 102 crowns last month, 94 crowns last year.
According to Havel, the frost did the most damage to fruit trees that bloom earlier, i.e. besides apple trees, for example, cherries, sour cherries, plums, apricots. Strawberries are also doing poorly. According to him, root vegetables, which are more frost-resistant, could have fared relatively better.
According to the president of the Trade and Tourism Association of the Czech Republic, Tomáš Prouza, the price increase of fruits and vegetables will depend on the harvest in other countries. “Last year, at the beginning of spring, we dealt with a similar problem with the lack of vegetables from the south of Europe, but in the end we were able to find a solution. I firmly believe that it will be successful this year as well,” said Prouza.
Frost will return, meteorologists warn
Weather
