Good start for Catalonia: quality and size even after climate problems

21 May 2024
781

Excess cherries, but also larger and better: a successful start to the season in the Segrià region, Catalonia. The recent rains have damaged part of the crop, but the sector is optimistic about the size and quality of the fruit.

Cherry harvesting in Segrià started with complications due to rain, which caused the early varieties to split due to excess water. However, the overall outlook is to reach last year's production, with larger and higher-quality cherries.

Weather factors have mainly affected the first cherries of the year. Last year's heat and lack of rain reduced the number of fruits, and in some farms, the rain that fell just as the cherries were growing caused the skin to crack, the so-called “cracking.”

Oriol Teixidó, a grower from Seròs, in Segrià, regrets the effects of the climate crisis.

“The early heavy rains hit us just as we were starting, with varieties very prone to cracking. If the rains decrease and there are other climatic factors, production will always be lower.”

In addition to the western regions, areas like the Guiamets basin in Priorat have also been severely affected. The severe drought has caused many fruit trees, including cherries, to die. On the other hand, other areas in the same region with underground wells - and thus less dependent on water accumulated in the reservoir - have managed to maintain their production.

Image 1: Cherries ready for harvesting in Baix Segre, Catalonia.

Good prospects, despite everything

Despite the recent setbacks, the sector believes this year's forecasts are better considering the varieties that will be harvested in the coming weeks, “which are not affected and can withstand more water.”

This is according to Afrucat, the Catalan association of fruit companies. According to their estimates, next year's harvest in Catalonia will not reach its maximum potential and will be around 8,700 tons of cherries out of a possible 9,500, a figure slightly above the average of the last five years.

However, it is believed that it will be a good season, especially due to the larger size and quality of the fruits, as emphasized by Afrucat's director, Manel Simon.

“Last year's high temperatures and water stress meant that the transition from flower to fruit was not as good as expected, but this is offset by better quality and larger sizes, which will characterize this season.”

Source: CCMA
Images: CCMA


Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

Washington State University's insights for preventing bacterial canker

Crop protection

02 Apr 2024

The pathogen infects many plant species and survives on the leaf surface of many weeds found on orchard floors. It is known for being epiphytic, which means that pathogen colonization can occur on any plant tissue without provoking infection or symptoms.

Chile: a report highlights problems and possible solutions for the 2023 campaign

Production

21 May 2024

Besides the drop in export volumes, a major problem was the delayed start of the harvest. Initially the winter estimate was 100 million crates, later adjusted to about 82.795 million crates, 90% of which were destined for the Chinese market.

In evidenza

Winter chill models in fruit growing: full guide and comparison by climate zones

Tech management

14 Jul 2025

In-depth analysis of winter chill models used in fruit growing: Chill Hours, Utah, and Dynamic. Comparison of methods and agricultural applications across different climate zones, from British Columbia to Mendoza, Argentina, to improve orchard management strategies.

Cherries 2025: global market between exceptional quality and climate challenges

Markets

14 Jul 2025

The 2025 cherry season shows global contrasts: excellent production in Italy, the UK and South Africa; dramatic declines in Turkey and Greece. High prices in Spain, solid demand and logistic bottlenecks are reshaping the structure of the international cherry market.

Tag Popolari