The past ten nights were filled with anxiety for Belgian fruit growers. Wine grapes are being called a huge disaster due to frost. For apple and pear growers, though, the consequences seem to vary significantly by region.
The organization Unió Llauradora expects the loquat production in the Region of Valencia to amount to around 10,000 tons, which entails a 30% drop compared to the previous campaign (14,000 tons). This is primarily due to the lack of rainfall.
At this stage of the season, whitefly has become the most threatening pest for citrus and kaki producers in the Spanish Region of Valencia. So much so, that the Valencian Association of Agricultural Producers (AVA-ASAJA) has described the whitefly outbreak as "an unprecedented invasion that has hit us extraordinarily early and abundantly in most of the producing regions, affecting more than 80% of the fields in some municipalities."
There was low and medium level shower on Monday, which has terrorised the farmers as harvesting is going to be delayed. Farmer Salwinder Singh Randhawa, a resident of Pandori Rehmana, said Khalra, Khemkaran, Bhikhwind, Valtoha, Rajok, Harike, Chohla Sahib, Khadoor Sahib, Chabal and other parts were witnessing rain with speedy wind, which was causing heavy loss of the standing wheat crop.
While the majority of Boro paddy have successfully formed rice grains, the remaining 20% in the flowering stage are at risk due to the ongoing heatwave across the country, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
With his farm almost entirely surrounded by the banks of the River Severn in northShropshire, Ed Tate is used to flooding on his land – but this year, the sheer level of rainfall is the worst he has ever seen.
In Poland, following an unseasonably warm spell, orchard and vineyard proprietors have resorted to igniting bonfires to mitigate the impact of a sudden cold snap on their crops. The preceding warm phase, with temperatures exceeding 25°C, induced premature blooming of plants, now susceptible to the recent plummet in temperatures to as low as -8°C.
At this time, Almeria's tomato campaign seems to be reaching its final stages in many farms. "At Caña y Retama, we are specialized in organic tomatoes, with our main specialty being tomatoes on the vine," says Emilio Jesús López.
Europe is currently experiencing an unexpected cold period, significantly affecting the agricultural sector, particularly fruit farmers concerned about their summer harvests. The continent has faced colder temperatures than initially forecasted for spring, raising concerns over food supply implications.
Production of aromatic and medicinal plants in Morocco has suffered a severe blow this year due to persistent drought, leading to a drop in supply and the reconversion of many growers and exporters to other crops, according to Mehdi Benchekroun, owner of Domaines Mehdi Benchekroun.
Extreme heat, wildfires, and deep freezes have hit the province’s wineries hard, with much of this year’s crop expected to be lost due to January’s bitter cold snap.The industry is now looking at how it will get through some hard years ahead, as the 2024 Vintage is expected to be quite limited.
Freezing temperatures have dealt a devastating blow to the fruit harvest in Czechia, with estimated damages surpassing 1 billion Czech crowns (40 million euros). Horticulturists report that the majority of fruit trees across the country have been damaged, resulting in a nearly complete loss of the harvest.
Producers in Sweden have not had enough direct sunlight to grow much needed vegetables during spring, leading to a 30% drop in production. Peter Horvath, from Svenska Odlarlaget, one of the largest Producer Organizations in the country, "During Spring the average temperature has been around 0 degrees.
As a result of the latest frosts in Ukraine, the peak of which occurred on April 19-20 of this year, orchards of apples, pears and stone fruits were partially damaged, EastFruit analysts report.
Favorable prices and low yields are marking this recent part of the strawberry season in Southern Italy. "Here in the Basilicata region, in about 40 days, the campaign will be over for many, referring to traditional cultivars like the Sabrosa-Candonga," says Maria Ferrara of the wholesale fruit and vegetable company Fe.Vi Frutta.
In the wake of recent rain and hailstorm that lashed the region on Friday, nearly 1,500 farmers in the Indri and Nilokheri blocks of the district have registered claims on the e-Kshatipurti portal, stating extensive losses to their wheat crop on approximately 7,800 acres of land.