The cherries were strongly impacted by the recent frosts in the province of Huesca. In fact, the low temperatures recorded in the early hours of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, which fell to minus three degrees in municipalities such as Bolea, could cause losses of up to 100% in many farms, according to the first estimates of the Bolea's Cherry Cooperative (Cocebo).

The Cyril storm, coming from the Arctic, arrived a little more than a month before the start of Bolea's cherry harvest season. Unfortunately, after these frosts, the campaign came to an end before it started, stated Lorenzo Urroz, Cocebo's secretary.

Regarding the compensation for frost, the secretary of the cooperative said that producers do not usually take out agricultural insurance. “I don't think anyone has insurance. Insurance is not cheap and a frost as widespread as this year is not normal either," he said, adding that the frost had also affected the almond crops.

The situation was similar in 2021. "Last year, producers almost lost everything; I think there was only one producer who was able to salvage half of his harvest. I think the rest of the producers were unable to harvest any product," Urroz said. "Three-quarters of the almond production was also lost," he added.

Javier Oros, a producer, said the damage to his farm was disastrous. “I may salvage some product, but the rest of the cherry producers I've talked to have told me they have lost 100% of their production.”

“It's been a historic disaster. Last year there was also a severe frost, but this has been a historic one. I don't think anyone expected such a powerful frost in places where that had never been affected by frost,” the farmer said.

Producers from Bajo Cinca expect to have fewer losses than the producers from La Hoya. "However, it is likely that the fruits that seem to be okay now were affected by the cold, curdled badly, and will eventually fall," stated Francisco Cervello, a farmer from Torrente de Cinca.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com