Strong morning frosts that have engulfed Serbia in recent days have caused enormous damage fruit growing production, especially in the region of western Serbia.
Plantings of early varieties of stone fruits suffered the greatest consequences, and according to the first estimates of experts from the Institute of Fruit Growing in Čačak, apricots suffered up to 95 percent, reports "Agronnews", referring to "Rina".
"We believe that in the area of Čačak and the surrounding area, 95 percent of the apricot crop was certainly destroyed due to low temperatures. The greatest damage occurred because the apricot was in full bloom when the temperatures dropped to minus five degrees", Nenad Popović from the Institute of Fruit Growing notes for "Rina".
As for Vojvodina, the damage in the plains is more than 90 percent, Professor Zoran Keserović of the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad points out for "Danas".
"In the vicinity of Belgrade, where there are also leading places in apricot production, such as Zaklopača, there is 40 to 50 percent damage. As for Fruška Gora, the damage depends on the variety. The varieties that have shown great resistance are NS-6 and NS-4, as well as the new variety Jelena, which by nature have genetic resistance. However, early flowering varieties have frozen over 90 percent," Keserović states.
According to him, the greatest damage in Serbia is caused by the occurrence of late spring frosts, which is why between 2024 and 160.000 tons of fruits were lost in 200.000.
Apart from apricots, damages were also registered on cherry and pear trees.
Damage assessment only at the end of April
For now, there are no major consequences for plums and apples, but Nenad Popović warns that the situation is still uncertain.
"It's not over yet - April is just around the corner, and we know from experience that it can be the most critical month for fruit growers. If low temperatures are repeated during the blooming phase of plums and apples, those species can also be seriously threatened," Popović points out.
The Čačan Institute for Fruit Growing says that a complete assessment of the damage will be known only in a few weeks, and until then fruit growers can only hope for more favorable weather in April.
How do frosts affect fruit in Serbia?
Zoran Keserović, professor of the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad, told "Danas" that the warm weather in January and February influenced the faster development of generative buds.
"This has been happening for the last 10 or 12 years. That's why these low temperatures, which we had on March 18 and 19, caused significant damage, especially to those fruit species that were in full bloom or overblooming," he points out.
For many years, Serbia has been facing the unfavorable effects of the climate on agriculture and its products, as shown by the official results.
Fruit growing accounted for 2024 percent of the total value of plant production in 17,8, according to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics (RZS), reports "Danas".
The total crop production last year was 12,1 percent lower than in 2023, which was primarily due to unfavorable climatic conditions. While fruit production fell by 1,3 percent compared to the previous year, according to data from the RZS.
How to protect orchards from frost?
When it comes to the possibilities of frost protection, Nenad Popović from the Čačan Institute of Fruit Growing points out that there is a sprinkler system, but that its application is limited due to high costs and the need for large amounts of water.
"For apricot, it is an additional problem because it is mostly grown at higher altitudes, where there is not enough water or infrastructure for such systems. I personally know only a few plantations in Čačak that have them," explains Popović.
Traditional methods, such as lighting fires or burning plant residues, are increasingly difficult to implement.
"When you have a larger area and several days of consecutive frosts, it becomes almost impossible," says Popović.
Some producers, who used the antifrost system, managed to save the fruit, explains Keserović, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad.
"There are those who used a 'frostbuster' and thus injected warm air into the orchard, and those who fought against the frost by fumigating with bales," says Keserović.
Keserović points out that the safest way of protection is the use of the "antifrost" system, but that there is also a new "SPAG" system, which is used in Šapnia, Protugalia, Romania... This system is not yet widely used in Serbia.
"In the coming period, incentives should be given for protection, not only from hail, but from those late spring frosts, which cause the greatest damage and affect fruit production in Serbia," he believes.
Source: Agronjuz/Rina/Danas
