Harvest update: A changeable – but promising – start to the 2024 season

We recognise the importance of timely crop updates for our customers in the F&B industry – that’s why, as harvest season is just around the corner, we’re sharing this summary of the latest agricultural reports from our partner growers and expert agronomy teams. Keep reading for an exclusive sneak peek into this year’s crop performance (so far!) and our predictions for the weeks ahead…

A slow start in Spain

In our Spanish strawberry fields, crops currently appear high-quality and healthy – however, both hydroponic and ground crops are somewhat delayed in terms of production. It’s a challenge we’re seeing across the region – and it could be due to recent heavy rain showers or the impact of new plant varieties. The weather has been warm and sunny recently, however, the coming week’s weather promises some rain and diverse temperatures ranging between 10ºC and 21ºC – which could impact production further.

Temperature swings

In the first half of April, Polish and Serbian fields were drenched in warm sunshine, with unseasonably high temperatures (hitting the high-20s!) causing vegetation to grow very quickly. Flower buds are already appearing on our strawberry plants, which appear healthy and strong. In fact, if their growth doesn’t slow down, blooming will take place up to two weeks earlier than previous seasons.

However, some recent cold, frosty weather across Poland could hamper this growth – and in Serbia, there was even snow in the more mountainous areas. Due to two consecutive days of frost, tree fruits are expected to incur significant damage in Serbia as they were already in bloom, whereas the extent of damage to planted fruits is still uncertain. Our team in Poland will be evaluating any potential damage to berry plants in the region in the next week.

Onwards and upwards

It’s been a varied start to the harvest, and this undoubtedly has an effect on prices. Picking costs are expected to rise this season, due to labour shortages and increasing salaries. Plus, due to the colder weather across Europe, decreased productivity and flat demand, fresh market prices have also been rising recently. However, as of this week they are stable once again.

Nature is inherently unpredictable – but our expert team of agronomists and our valued partner farmers work hard to make their volume predictions as accurate as possible, and are constantly monitoring the quality and health of our crops. Despite changeable weather, we are reassured to see that our crops are maintaining a high quality both in terms of appearance and taste. And as usual, we will keep you updated on any important developments.

If you have any questions about our predictions, or to learn more about our approach to agronomy, please get in touch today.