The heat this summer has also affected the apples. In some cases, the farmers are only expecting a harvest that is half the size of the previous year. However, it is still too early for a final assessment.
Gotha (dpa/th) – After the sunny summer, the apple harvest in Thuringia has so far been significantly lower compared to the previous year. “It indicates that the crop yields from last year cannot be reached,” says Axel Swoboda from the fruit growing section of the State Horticulture Association. Hendrik Kraft from Fahner Obstbau in the district of Gotha expects the harvest to be at most half as large. “Sunburn and heat have taken a toll on many apples this summer,” said the managing director.
However, it is still too early for an interim assessment, emphasized Swoboda. So far only the apple varieties Elstar and Shampion have been harvested. One still has to wait for the ongoing harvest of the Gala variety and then of the Jonagold variety. The apple harvest started on the Fahnerhöhe about two weeks ago. While the warehouse in Gierstädt was filled with around 13,000 tons last year, only 5,000 to 6,000 tons of apples are now expected. According to Kraft, it remains to be seen how the late varieties will develop and whether the coming rain will increase the expected crop yield.
