Spring frosts destroyed one-fifth of the strawberry crop
Spring frosts have caused significant damage to the domestic agricultural sector, putting Ukrainian producers at risk of losing 2,905 tons of the berry harvest.
According to preliminary estimates by the “Berry Growing of Ukraine” association, this situation was caused by significant damage to blossoms due to temperature anomalies.
The hardest hit were strawberry and raspberry plantations, which were in the active growing season.
Wild strawberries (strawberries) were the hardest hit, with losses estimated at 1,740 tons. This represents over 20% of the total potential harvest for the current growing season.
The situation was triggered by a wave of frosts in late April, which coincided perfectly with the period of peak flowering. In some regions, nighttime temperatures dropped to critical levels—from -4°C to -6°C.
Regional statistics indicate that the greatest strawberry crop losses are expected in the Rivne region, where the projected shortfall reaches 376 tons.
Farms in the Volyn and Lviv regions also suffered significant financial and operational losses.
Local farmers are currently trying to minimize the impact of the weather, but it is already impossible to restore the damaged blossoms.
Raspberries have also been significantly affected, as producers may face a shortfall of about 1,165 tons of berries. This amount is nearly a quarter of the total projected harvest for this crop.
The greatest losses are currently being recorded in the western regions of the country—in Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Bukovina. Early raspberry varieties proved to be the most vulnerable to the sharp drop in nighttime temperatures.
In contrast to other crops, blueberries survived the spring frosts with minimal losses.
The resilience of the plantations was ensured by the plants’ later development, as well as this species’ naturally higher tolerance to low temperatures.
Thanks to this, blueberry plantations did not require emergency protective measures and retained their potential.
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