Cherry harvest in Portugal drop by 70% due to frost

The large fluctuations in temperature and the very low temperatures at night during flowering have caused a drop of up to 70% in the harvest of Fundão cherries, according to the growers, who expect a fruit of higher quality and larger size. Gonçalo Batista, an agronomist from Alcongosta, who has orchards in several places in the district of Fundão, mainly south of Serra da Gardunha, says he notes a drop in production, compared to a normal year, "of the order of 60% to 70%" , due to frost on consecutive days in early April in that district in the Castelo Branco region. In addition to the losses already noted, which will also affect the production of peaches, the agricultural expert stated that there are varieties that thrive, but that the trees do not have the consistency to bear the fruit, which ...