In W22 in the strawberry landscape, it was reported that the Serra da Mantiqueira region in Brazil's south produces over 60% of the country's strawberries. It offers favorable conditions for strawberry farming, with municipalities like Pouso Alegre standing out. Senar Minas and the Rural Union of Pouso Alegre provide support and assistance to strawberry producers, benefiting 60 families in the area. Also, Russian strawberry production has grown by 1.5 times YoY, reaching 1.7 thousand tons so far in 2023. Moscow is receiving large volumes of strawberries at a lower cost than last year. Domestic strawberries are preferred due to higher quality. The fruit and berry consumption in Russia is expected to increase as incomes recover. So far this year, strawberry sales increased by 6%, and the average prices for strawberries grew 6%.
The first harvest of the "red diamond" strawberries in the İnegöl district of Bursa, Turkey has begun. The strawberries are expected to generate around USD 55 million in revenue and will be exported to Georgia, Russia, and Iraq. Despite rising costs, strawberry prices have remained stable. A geothermal greenhouse in Sindirgi, Turkey has planted 10K strawberry seedlings. The project aims to increase greenhouse strawberry production efficiency and yield using geothermal energy. The harvested strawberries will be dried in a nearby facility and transformed into high-value-added products. The initiative is part of Sindirgi's efforts to utilize natural resources efficiently and create employment opportunities.
On the contrary, Switzerland is experiencing a delayed but promising strawberry season. Despite the rainy spring, Swiss producers are now harvesting over 1K tonnes of strawberries per week. With 510 ha of cultivation, strawberries are the country's third most popular domestic fruit. The British strawberries are also arriving late this year due to a cool spring, but they are expected to be larger and sweeter than usual. The longer growing time and recent sunny days have contributed to their size and increased sugar content. Peak production is anticipated in late June. On the contrary, drought in Andalusia, Spain, is impacting strawberry producers, leading to lower yields and financial losses. Some activists blame strawberries for the water shortage. German parliamentarians visited Spain to address water scarcity and consumer protection concerns related to strawberry farming. A campaign urged German supermarkets to stop selling Spanish strawberries to protect Doñana National Park from the risk of a drought catastrophe.
Wholesale strawberry prices in Moldova decreased by 25% to USD 1.69/kg due to restrictions during the European Political Community summit and accelerated fruit ripening caused by warm weather. Lastly, in Poland, last year's domestic strawberry prices were around USD 2.66/kg, while imported strawberries were priced at approximately USD 2.44/kg. May 2023 saw higher strawberry prices compared to 2022. The end of strawberry imports is near, and the upcoming domestic harvest is expected to have lower prices than the exceptionally high prices in 2022.
