Poland’s strawberry and cherry producers appear poised for some difficult months ahead after heavy rains, and flooding in some regions of the country, reportedly caused quality problems for this season’s harvest.
The unfavourable climatic conditions, particularly in southern and south-western areas, are said to have already hit strawberry, blackberry and apple production in affected regions and this year’s cherry and sour cherry campaigns stand to suffer if the rains continue.
“In strawberries, the quality of the fruit is lower and cherries are also being damaged because of the rain,” Rafal Szelezniak of import-export specialist Silvi Cola told Fruitnet.
“The cherry season has just started, so we don’t know yet how big a problem it is going to be – it all depends on whether the rains continue.”
According to Polish news website sfora, the heavy rain has caused smaller harvests of apples and blackberries in southern regions, while strawberry yields are already said to be down by 20 per cent compared with last year.
Vegetable production has also reportedly been affected, with a smaller harvest of tomatoes and cucumbers said to have resulted in an increase in price in some cases of as much as 40 per cent.
“There have been significant difficulties with cauliflowers in the south,” said Adam Szkultecki, managing director of Poland-based fresh produce import-export company Vegdis. “The water-damaged cauliflowers are empty inside or are rotten.”
However, Mr Szelezniak was keen to emphasise that the weather-related problems have so far been confined to southern regions of the country, noting that production elsewhere has been unaffected.
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