Due to a sharp deterioration of weather conditions (snowfall and strong wind), Azerbaijan has encountered the risk of losing its fruit-berry and stonefruit harvest.

Murtuzali Hajiyev, head of the Agriculture Ministry’s press service, has stated that Ministry’s experts have not calculated yet the damage caused by weather conditions.

"Perhaps, the calculations will not be conducted unless a serious loss is revealed. The sphere of horticulture is also still at stage of preparation, as the first fruits are expected in the last 10 days of April or the first 10 days of May, and therefore were also not affected by extreme weather events. As for growing of fruits, especially stonefruits and berry crops, many of them have blossomed, and yesterday’s wind and snow almost killed these plants. We, however, have already started consultations with farmers and encourage them to take additional agronomic measures that will enable to restore growing of these fruits," Hajiyev said.

He points out that the weather mostly affected farms of northern and western regions.

"I’d like to note once again that the weather conditions will not affect the volume of fruit production: the additional agronomic measures taken in time will restore the projected harvest," Hajiyev is sure.

Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/