Frost and low temperatures recorded between late April and early May have raised concern among blueberry growers in Serbia, Poland, and Austria. This was reported by different industry representatives in conversations with Blueberries News, who indicated partial damage in some production areas and said they continue monitoring conditions amid the threat of new weather events.
In Serbia, Dejan Djusic, general manager of First Blueberry d.o.o., a company located in Šabac in the western part of the country, explained that weather conditions significantly affected several orchards.
“On April 30 and May 1, we had very cold mornings that, in some parts of Serbia, severely damaged blueberry crops. Temperatures ranged between -2 °C and -4 °C,” he said.
Regarding the measures implemented to protect orchards, Djusic explained that the alternatives mainly depend on the size of each project and the technology available.
“Smaller orchards usually burn straw bales, while others use propane burners. More advanced options, such as wind machines, are not available for blueberries. Nature is stronger than us,” he commented.
Poland Still Assessing the Final Impact of Low Temperatures
In Poland, local growers have also reported cold spells and subzero temperatures over the past few weeks, with lows reaching -15 °C.
Adam Wilczewski, from The Wilczewski Farm, said that his orchards, located in the Podlaskie Voivodeship in the northeastern part of the country, were affected by several consecutive days of below-freezing temperatures, which, according to him, could continue in the coming days. “Frost may occur again this coming weekend, so it is still too early to talk about the actual condition of the plantation.”
Austria Monitoring Potential Damage
In Austria, the country’s main blueberry-producing region is located in southeastern Styria, a mountainous area with favorable climatic conditions for this crop.
Organic blueberry grower Manfred Schneider explained that the frost mainly affected lower-altitude areas, where temperatures dropped to -4 °C. “We had two days of frost in the lower areas, so I used frost protection. In the slightly higher areas there was no frost and we have no damage,” he said.
Schneider added that, for now, it is still premature to determine the true impact on production. “I think the fields located in lower areas do show some damage, although it is still difficult to say what the real percentage is. Some growers are using frost candles and others are using overhead irrigation systems with water to fight the frost,” he explained.
He also noted that, despite the initial concern, he does not expect severe damage at the national level. “It is still very early to really talk about the impact, but I do not think Austria will experience major frost damage,” he stated.
Sebastián Ochoa, international blueberry consultant and director of CASM Blueberries, explained that after stress caused by low temperatures, “plants should be biostimulated by rotating modes of action and applying amino acids, folic acid, and seaweed extracts.”
