Early estimates suggest up to half of the new season apple crop may been lost
A series of April frosts have caused extensive damage to Polish fruit production. According to local news sources, the frosts have impacted growers across the country. Damian Kozlowski from Gruppa Organic told Fruitnet that early reports suggest that as much as 50 per cent of next season’s apple volume could be lost, along with a similar volume of berries. Stonefruit losses are also reported to be significant.
The cold snap arrived just as apple trees were entering the flowering stage and compounded damage sustained in some areas during the winter due to temperatures plunging to -20oC.
At a meeting of the Polish Fruit Growers’ Association in Sadkowice this week, the association’s president, Mirosław Maliszewski, warned that Poland’s fruit industry could be facing its biggest setback in decades. He said even conservative estimates put apple production at 60 per cent below last year, which hadn’t been a particularly good year.
After last year’s poor apple season, growers said they would need financial support, such as preferential loans, to survive the current situation.
One Wtelno-based grower told Gazeta Pomorska: “Fruit prices must rise because the losses in orchards are very significant. If the total loss occurs when the temperature drops to -3.5-4oC, and here it was almost -8oC at ground level during flowering, then some fruit, such as cherries, will definitely be lost”.
The latest losses have amplified calls for better protection for growers, including universal insurance. Many fruit growers are without cover as they have been unable to find companies willing to insure their orchards against the effects of frost. “For now, it’s not profitable for insurance companies; they’re afraid of too much risk,” Maliszewski
Arek Stajszczak of Helm Crop Solutions said on LinkedIn: “Last week presented significant challenges for Polish fruit growers, as ground frosts severely impacted cherry, pear, and apple flowers. Three consecutive nights of prolonged temperatures below -4°C affected even the most well-prepared plants, with reports indicating that damages in some regions exceed 90 per cent.
“This marks the third consecutive year of such adverse effects. In Poland, ground frost can theoretically be expected until 15 May, leaving uncertainty about further challenges ahead.”
