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From Luisa Zenker
At the start of the apple harvest, the Queen of the Blossoms usually bites into an apple with relish, accompanied by a brass band, ministers and satisfied apple growers. That's not happening this year. As the fruit growers' association announced this Tuesday, there will be no official opening of the apple season in Saxony. The reason is the extreme late frosts in April. Because an icy night in spring destroyed most of the blossoms, hardly any apples have ripened.
"The majority of apple orchards in Saxony have practically no or very little fruit," writes the association. A harvest of 10 percent is expected compared to the previous year. Instead of the 56,600 tons of apples harvested in 2023, Saxony is expected to produce 5,800 tons this year.
Instead of celebrating, the association is now concentrating on finding solutions with the responsible authorities and ministries in order to secure the existence of fruit farms. 20 million euros are to be made available to fruit growers. Fruit growers are also asking consumers to support regional producers in particular. Farm stores are still open and offer apples - but in smaller quantities, with blemishes and at a slightly higher price. However, the fruit growers' association does not expect prices to rise significantly, as apples can be bought in from other federal states.
