Prices at the Bronisze wholesale market in Warsaw, where Latvian traders source apples, haven't seen a significant increase. Notable varieties like "Antonovka," "Gala," and "Ligol" range from €0.43 to €0.86 per kilogram. Despite negotiations between large retail chains and farmers, the average price in Latvia has reached €1.7 per kilogram.
Latvian apple orchards, while not as extensive as Polish ones, are claimed by Latvian orchardists to produce tastier apples due to a different climatic zone. Cultivation practices and fertilizers are similar, with potential differences in pesticide use due to Poland's warmer climate. Both adhere to EU regulations.
Rumours, often fuelled by Russian media, add uncertainty to the situation. Russian media's portrayal of Polish apples as toxic is countered by experts denying excessive chemical treatment. Polish farmers utilize controlled environments for storage and mechanized sorting processes.
Miroslav Malishevsky, head of the Polish Fruit Growers' Union, clarifies that no country, including Poland, treats fruits with chemicals after harvest. Strict regulations limit chemical use, with a prohibition on pre-harvest applications. Additionally, the orchardist who grows apples, sprays them, harvests the crop, and prepares it for storage, has absolutely no knowledge of what will happen with this product next: whether it will end up on the Polish market or be exported.
source: press.lv