May 19 2014, 13:51 Fito-Mag

Ukraine: losses of plum crop reach 100% in southern regions

Losses of the plum crop in some farms of the southern regions of Ukraine and Crimea (the largest plum producing regions) reach 70-100%.

A decrease in plum production is connected with abnormal weather conditions in spring. Abnormally warm winter and early warm and sunny weather in spring resulted in averagely two weeks earlier blossoming of plum orchards. However, a cold spell in the beginning of April inflicted serious damages on stonefruit crops (plums inclusively) and was followed by several periods of a sharp decrease in temperature with latest cold spell being observed in Ukraine on May 5-7. Growers say of both blooms and trees to have suffered from such weather conditions.

As a result, some farms from the southern regions and Crimea report of full loss of the plum crop. However, a decrease in plum production in other regions of Ukraine will not so critical, according to farmers.