The wet conditions of recent weeks have had devastating consequences for Swiss potato and vegetable growers. As a result, processor Hilcona has already revised its harvest forecast for this year downwards. In many places, farmers are facing more difficult harvest conditions. "It is also a challenge to achieve our quality standards. Efficiency and profitability are sometimes falling by the wayside," says Andreas Messerli, Head of Hilcona Agrar.
In the south of Switzerland, too, the weather has hit the vegetables hard. At the end of week 29, 1200 hectares of cultivated land were devastated by hail during a heavy thunderstorm. Marco Bassi, Director of TIOR (Ticino Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association) and vegetable gardener, describes the situation as follows: "Compared to what we had before the storm, the crop is now severely decimated. This storm was a new and devastating experience for the farmers of Ticino. Most of the fields from Contone to Giubiasco are one hundred per cent gone. Around 1200 hectares of cultivated land were destroyed. Every crop from Contone to Bellinzona was affected: Cabbage, lettuce, fennel, celery, cabbage stalks, soya, apples and so on."
For more information:
https:// hilcona.com
https:// orticolabassi.ch