In Greece, 2025 marks a challenging year for cherry growers due to adverse weather conditions, impacting both yield and market prices. The transition from field prices at €4 per kilo to retail prices up to €22 raises questions about the underlying factors driving this inflation.
The reduced cherry harvest, impacted significantly by climate disturbances, translates into higher operational costs, including storage, maintenance, sorting, and transportation. These combined factors, along with limited supply, contribute to a price increase at retail sites such as grocery stores, farmers' markets, and supermarkets, with reported hikes of over 400%.
Producers give perspective, indicating that prices ranging from €7 at farmers' markets to €22 in island regions reflect the scarcity of cherries, partly attributed to climate change and its effect on cultivation. In previous years, growers were harvesting at this time, whereas this season, they are managing field clearances instead.
Regions like Pella, contributing 75% of Greece's cherry output, report unprecedented losses, with production down 10% compared to prior years. Harsh weather conditions, including significant frosts and intermittent rainfall, have nearly annulled yields, prompting some producers to question the viability of harvesting. This scenario paints a stark picture for consumers facing elevated market prices due to supply shortages.
In Sperchio Valley and Vermio, production levels have plummeted to fractions of normal years because of frost and rain damage. ELGA compensation is anticipated by affected growers, many of whom express concerns about long-term impacts on cherry production.
Despite a forecasted increase in total cherry production by 34% from 2024, this upswing remains overshadowed by regional losses exceeding 70%. Issues such as fruit tearing due to fluctuating weather further exacerbate market scarcity.
The disparity between producer and retail prices stems from a complex supply chain, involving costs related to handling, perishability, and aesthetic grading. Each link, from producers to distributors, adds operational expenses, affecting the final retail price.
Moreover, select export strategies prioritize sending premium-quality cherries abroad, intensifying domestic scarcity. Consequently, unless direct sales avenues like cooperatives are pursued, the price gap is unlikely to narrow, highlighting the challenges faced by cherry producers in a volatile market climate.
Source: Protothema