Growers have reported that up to half of this year's fruit production could have been lost due to the recent frosts and that prices may increase by up to 25%, as stated by Mr Csizmadia Györgyre, of the Hungarian Fruit and Vegetable Interprofessional Organisation.
He recalled that temperatures at dawn on Wednesday last week stood at minus 6-7 degrees Celsius in several parts of the country, while the meteorology did not indicate a risk of frost.
The panel said that, against such cold weather conditions, frost protection becomes necessary, but the cost of that, however, is very high, ranging between 400 and 500 thousand HUF per hectare (between 1,200 and 1,600 Euro), so not everyone can afford it.
Mr Csizmadia Györgyre reported that strawberries may reach prices ranging between 1,000 and 1,200 HUF per kilo (3.19 to 3.83 Euro), while cherries will reach 1,000 HUF (3.19 Euro), and sour cherries may cost 300 to 350 HUF (0.96-1.12 Euro).
The Secretary of State, Mr Czerván György, reported on Thursday that 24 billion HUF (76.6 million Euro) will be allocated to compensate growers for their losses.
