Food - Warm spring leads to early cherry harvest
Due to early blooming around the beginning of April and warm weather in May, cherry harvest in Lower Saxony has started about ten days earlier than in previous years. The Oldenburg Agricultural Chamber expects yields to be slightly below average, but the quality to be excellent. "We estimate 8 to 12 tons of cherries per hectare, which is about 10 to 15 kilograms per tree," said Martin Kockerols, an expert from the Horticultural Research Station in Jork near Stade.
Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the cherries grown in the Alten Land region are covered. This is intended to protect the cherry trees from persistent rain or hail. Despite high costs of over 100,000 Euros per hectare, the over-covering is profitable for farmers, as the cherries are less likely to burst under the rain protection and can ripen better. They are also shinier and more durable. Another advantage: With the help of roofing systems, nets can be installed that protect against the cherry fruit fly and cherry aphid.
The Oldenburg Agricultural Chamber expects a harvest of around 4500 tons of sweet cherries in Lower Saxony this year. The main growing area is the Alten Land region near Hamburg. Around 500 hectares of sweet cherries are grown along the Elbe. Nationwide, according to the Chamber, 5500 hectares of cherries are grown by 6600 growers. However, the demand for cherries in Germany must be met largely through imports: Up to 70 percent of the sweet cherries come from Turkey, Greece, Spain, and Italy every year.
The early cherry harvest in Lower Saxony has commenced in Jork, a region near Stade, due to the unseasonably warm weather. Despite anticipating yields slightly below average, the Oldenburg Agricultural Chamber remains optimistic about the exceptional quality of the cherries. Moreover, the Alten Land region, the main growing area for cherries in Lower Saxony, has implemented protective coverings to prevent damage from rain or hail, ensuring a higher quality and longer shelf life for the cherries.
