This year’s weird weather hasn’t done Croatia’s fruit stocks many favours…
As Poslovni Dnevnik reports on the 14th of October, 2017, the long-lasting drought and frost that occurred at this year shifted harvest dates and has caused chaos with fruit prices. The price of apples is reaching as much as 10 kuna, and some varities could cost as much as 15 kuna around the Christmas period.
This is the second year in a row to result in a catastrophic situation for Croatia’s fruit and vegetables. Last year, the frost destroyed the produce from orchards in Northwestern Croatia, all the way to Slavonski Brod, and the same situation has sadly repeated itself this year.
To meet people’s needs when it comes to apples in Croatia, there should be 200,000 tons of them, and this year there are only 45,000 tons. On average, the annual yield is 120,000 tons, while the rest are imported. It doesn’t take a master of economics to realise that a lower yield inevitably leads to higher prices, which are currently double what they were at this same time last year. Apples were purchased last year at a price between 1.25 and 1.70 kuna without VAT, this year they cost 3.20 kuna.
”The price of top class apples in shopping centres is now 9 and 10 kuna, and last year they were 50% cheaper. If the apples are this expensive at harvest time, I know that around Christmas, they’ll be 15 kuna, and some varieties will be 17 kuna,” warns Mr. Ivković, an experienced apple tree grower.
Along with apples, the number of tangerines is also lacking this year, there are 25,000 tons of them, as opposed to the usual amount which is anywhere between 80,000 and 100,000 tons. Because of this, this fruit also carries a higher purchase price with it this year, last year they were 2 kuna, and this year, at the start of the season, they were being purchased at as much as 7 kuna, their sale also started later in the year than normal.
Translated from Poslovni.hr
