Rising Prices of Early Fruits and Vegetables in Serbia Amid Low Yields
High prices for early seasonal produce in Serbian markets are attributed to adverse weather conditions affecting yields, prompting producers to test market tolerance.
The early markets in Serbia are witnessing significant price increases for fruits and vegetables, a trend largely attributed to low yields resultant from recent weather conditions.
According to Veljko Jovanović, an advisor to the President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS), producers are currently assessing the market by setting high prices for their products.
In various markets across Serbia, citizens have noted the surprisingly high prices, particularly for cherries, which have reached up to 1,400 dinars per kilogram, drawing comparisons to the cost of meat.
Early-season strawberries were priced at 1,200 dinars per kilogram, while apricots and young potatoes also saw prices climb to around 1,000 dinars per kilogram during their initial sale.
Jovanović explained that the ongoing testing of market prices is part of the producers' strategy, stating, "Only what can be sold gets sold, and as long as consumers are willing to purchase cherries for over a thousand dinars, they will continue to be sold at that price."
He further emphasized the challenges in curbing these high prices, attributing the situation to ongoing issues from previous years, including climatic changes and significant weather impacts.
The expert noted that repeated adverse weather over several years significantly affects fruit crops, resulting in long-term damages leading to consistently higher prices.
He anticipates similar challenges in the future, asserting that climate change influences yields not only locally but globally, affecting market prices in unpredictable manners from season to season.
Currently, the cherry harvest is in season, often commanding higher prices than meat, although there are expectations that prices may stabilize as the season progresses.
The quality of plantings and the areas cultivated are also crucial for the stabilization of early fruit prices, according to Jovanović.
He stated, "If there are sufficient areas of certain plantings and the quality is good, then yields are likely to be adequate, and thus prices can be deemed appropriate."
This year, estimates suggest that spring frost has damaged apple crops, which have yielded approximately 30 percent in most regions of Serbia.
However, the exact apple yield remains uncertain as the impact of summer heat and potential drought conditions continue to unfold.
According to Veljko Jovanović, an advisor to the President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS), producers are currently assessing the market by setting high prices for their products.
In various markets across Serbia, citizens have noted the surprisingly high prices, particularly for cherries, which have reached up to 1,400 dinars per kilogram, drawing comparisons to the cost of meat.
Early-season strawberries were priced at 1,200 dinars per kilogram, while apricots and young potatoes also saw prices climb to around 1,000 dinars per kilogram during their initial sale.
Jovanović explained that the ongoing testing of market prices is part of the producers' strategy, stating, "Only what can be sold gets sold, and as long as consumers are willing to purchase cherries for over a thousand dinars, they will continue to be sold at that price."
He further emphasized the challenges in curbing these high prices, attributing the situation to ongoing issues from previous years, including climatic changes and significant weather impacts.
The expert noted that repeated adverse weather over several years significantly affects fruit crops, resulting in long-term damages leading to consistently higher prices.
He anticipates similar challenges in the future, asserting that climate change influences yields not only locally but globally, affecting market prices in unpredictable manners from season to season.
Currently, the cherry harvest is in season, often commanding higher prices than meat, although there are expectations that prices may stabilize as the season progresses.
The quality of plantings and the areas cultivated are also crucial for the stabilization of early fruit prices, according to Jovanović.
He stated, "If there are sufficient areas of certain plantings and the quality is good, then yields are likely to be adequate, and thus prices can be deemed appropriate."
This year, estimates suggest that spring frost has damaged apple crops, which have yielded approximately 30 percent in most regions of Serbia.
However, the exact apple yield remains uncertain as the impact of summer heat and potential drought conditions continue to unfold.
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