Frost on the vine

The first week of May brought a frost to Poland unseen for six decades, costing farmers in seven voivodships an estimated loss of 90 percent of this year's crop. The unexpected frost mainly affected apple, pear, cherry and plum trees, as well as strawberries. The loss to farmers is expected to run to zł.6 billion - a situation described by Minister of Agriculture Andrzej Lepper as a "genuine natural disaster."

The consequences of the frost for Polish consumers will be observed in the fall, when imported fruit hits the market. According to some calculations, consumers should be prepared for up to 60-percent higher prices for fruit and associated products such as juices and jam. "However this is just the beginning," says Mirosław Maliszewski, president of the Association of Polish Fruit-Growers (ZSRP). "Poland will probably lose some foreign markets, where its produce has an excellent reputation," he claims.

Poland is considered one of the leaders on the European market. Unfortunately, under the circumstances these markets will open up to producers from China and Latin America - a side-effect that may have an impact on Polish fruit-growers for years to come.

The government declared that it would help deal with the problem and promised solutions such as grants, loan extensions and new loans. In addition, it will ask for compensation from Brussels. "Portugal received x230 (zł.868.5) million due to last year's drought and I believe there is a chance for us too," says Maliszewski.

For their part, most farmers have another problem to on their hands - the lack of insurance - a luxury that the majority of them can only dream of.