Devastating frost: arboriculturists asses their losses.

According to the latest information from the AOP Peaches/nectarines and apricots of France, the apricot campaign will be significantly reduced and unevenly spread over the season. Out of potential production of 150,000 tons, the growers are announcing a loss of around 60% of the potential of the AOP member companies. In Rhône-Alpes, losses exceed 80%. In the Crau, the North is more affected than the South. In the Gard, losses are close to 60% in apricots. The Roussillon region was relatively spared with particular situations at the foot of the Alberes or certain areas of the Salanque. According to the AOP, the French apricot season will start in week 20 and 21. And the first half of the season will be similar to last year's in terms of volumes until the end of June. The second half of the season (July and August) will have a smaller supply than last year.

The production of nectarine peaches will be affected by a third of its harvest. According to the AOP, it should present a complete calendar until September 10. The season will start in week 23-24.

In the other European stone fruit producing countries, Spain suffered a wave of frost in Aragon and the Lleida region (Catalonia) at the end of March, causing significant losses in peach-nectarine and less in apricot. The first Spanish and Moroccan nectarine peaches arrived on the market last week in B size. Italy's main stone fruit producing region for export to Europe, Emilia-Romagna, has also been affected by the frost with losses of up to one-third of peach/nectarine and apricot production. Greece is also reporting frost-related losses.

The cherries that arrived on the shelves at the beginning of May with the Céret cherry (Pyrénées-Orientales) were affected differently depending on whether the orchards were on plain or on the hillsides. The French potential is around 40,000 tonnes. The cherry AOP was to draw up its first assessment today. Apples and pears are also affected but for the moment it is still too early to make an assessment of the losses in the orchard as a whole, as the orchard is in the flowering stage. It was still frozen in some production regions such as the Loire Valley. Some regions could announce losses of 30 to 40% of their production potential, notably in the Alps.

Harvest forecasts for peaches/nectarines and apricots will be announced during Medfel Tuesdays on 4 May for apricots and 25 May for peaches/nectarines.

Professional sources