Italy: Frost in April damaged Veronese blackberry production up to 25% this year

The exceptional frost in April also damaged the Veronese blackberries, for which an estimated 10 to 25 percent loss of production this year, depending on the area and cultivation methodology. The harvest, under the tunnel, has already begun, while that in the open field will start in days. “While cultivating small fruits in tunnels, the highly subzero temperatures hit the blackberries that were in full bloom at that moment - explains Damiano Valerio, a farm in Raldon, of the fruit growers section of Confagricoltura Verona -. The frost damaged the flowers that had yet to open, causing them to fall. As for my Raldon crops, I expect losses of up to 25-30 percent. Better went to those who had blackberries in the open, as they bloomed later. Losses were more contained, around 10 percent, with results in any case less beautiful than those of last year. Even the price, which was good until April, has now dropped to around € 5.80 per kilo, as the market is flooded with small fruits from ...