Due to spring frosts, Ukraine will lose nearly 3,000 tons of berries
31 May 15:32
An abnormal cold snap in April and May 2026 dealt a serious blow to Ukraine’s berry industry, according to EastFruit, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to forecasts by the Ukrainian Berry Growers Association, farmers will lose approximately 2,905 tons of the harvest due to damage to the blossoms. In addition to the direct loss of volume, the frosts will delay the start of the harvest season and cause uneven ripening of the berries.
The main cause of the losses was a sharp warming in early spring, which triggered early vegetation growth. At the end of April, Arctic air swept across the country, lowering nighttime temperatures in some regions to −4…−6°C. Traditional berry-growing regions were hit hardest. The top five regions with the greatest losses include:
- Lviv — 440 tons;
- Rivne — 422 tons;
- Ivano-Frankivsk — 364 tons;
- Volyn — 308 tons;
- Zhytomyr — 258 tons.
Which crops were affected the most?
Strawberries: suffered the heaviest losses, as the frost struck right at the peak of flowering. A loss of 1,740 tons of berries is projected (20.3% of the total potential yield). The hardest-hit regions were Rivne (376 tons), Volyn (308 tons), and Lviv (288 tons).
Raspberries: losses are estimated at 1,165 tons (24.4% of the potential harvest). Although the plants were only in the budding stage, frosts down to −3…−4°C proved critical. The regions that suffered the greatest losses were Ivano-Frankivsk (364 tons), Lviv (152 tons), and Chernivtsi (134 tons).
Blueberries: suffered almost no damage. Thanks to their later development and high cold resistance (at the dense bud cluster stage, the crop can withstand temperatures down to −7…−9°C), losses are minimal.
Given that bad weather has been destroying the harvest for the second year in a row, experts are urging growers to switch to protected cultivation methods—specifically, to use plastic mulch and sprinkler irrigation systems to protect against frost.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
