At the base of the Crimean Peninsula's white cliffs, an orchard faces a significant loss due to a combination of early warm spring and subsequent bitter frosts. This weather anomaly has not only impacted the 165-hectare orchard but also extended to grains and other crops like rapeseed, sunflower, sugar beet, and corn across the region. The unusual weather conditions have also affected berries and orchards, including those in Crimea, a territory annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014.
Vladimir Slukhai, the chief agronomist at the Kurskoe orchard, noted the poor condition of the apple trees' ovaries, attributing the damage to late spring frosts occurring after the trees had bloomed. Georgy Danishevsky, the director of gardening, reported a loss of 95% of the expected apple harvest, estimating a yield of only 100 to 200 tons from an anticipated 3,500 to 4,000 tons. This reduction in harvest is expected to significantly decrease the year's revenue from the usual 130 million to 150 million roubles.
Source: reuters.com