agriculture
Fruit growers in Serbia expect a good harvest but fear for their earnings
Serbian fruit growers are coming off three years of drought and frost, and now face rising costs for materials and energy. These economic realities are more bearable when nature promises a good harvest.
TL;DR
- Fruit growers in Serbia faced three years of drought and frost, and are now dealing with increased costs for materials and energy.
- Record yields are expected for cherries (over 25,000 tons) and apricots (over 40,000 tons) this year, despite spring frosts affecting some orchards.
- Good yields are also anticipated for sour cherries, apples, and most other fruit crops.
- The expected good harvest may lower fruit prices for consumers, but high-quality cherries, blueberries, and raspberries are likely to remain expensive.
- Producers are concerned that they earn the least, with a potential discrepancy between high consumer prices and low producer earnings, requiring investigation of resellers and processors.
- Raspberry harvest is projected at 45,000 tons (up from 18,000 tons last year but below the average 65,000 tons).
- Plum harvest is expected to be around 300,000 tons, three times more than the previous year.