The Ministry of Agriculture allowed an increase in apple imports due to frosts in Russia

Frosts had a negative impact on fruit trees, especially apple trees in the central regions of the country, said Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut, Interfax writes. In connection with the expected decrease in the harvest, the Ministry of Agriculture will consider the possibility of increasing the import of apples. This is necessary to prevent prices for this socially important product from rising, Lut emphasized, as quoted by Kommersant. According to the Association of Fruit, Berry and Planting Material Producers, May frosts damaged from 50% to 70% of flowering apple trees in the Central Federal District. The Voronezh, Rostov, Tambov and Lipetsk regions suffered the greatest damage from low temperatures. At the same time, in the Krasnodar Territory, the May return frosts did not significantly damage fruit and berry plantings, the region’s agricultural department assessed. “The vineyards were not damaged at all. There is minor damage, mainly in rainfed orchards of non-intensive ...