The cherry season has exploded

(Photo: AM/István Fekete)

The head of the ministry said that Hungary is a silver-medal cherry producer in the EU, in second place after Poland. The quality of Hungarian fruit is not only special, but also its taste is unique. The color, taste, berry size, seed-to-meat ratio and texture of Hungarian varieties are superior to foreign competitors, so they are in demand not only in the processing industry but also in the fresh market, he added.

István Nagy emphasized that cherries should preferably be consumed fresh, as this is how their physiologically beneficial properties can be utilized with the best efficiency

He explained that the conscious decision is to consume domestic fruits harvested at their natural ripening time. Transporting thousands of kilometers carries risks and plays a significant role in climate change. In addition, harvesting when it is not fully ripe reduces the enjoyment value of the fruit and the length of the transport route makes it significantly more expensive. Not to mention the monitoring of the traceability of production and plant protection rules outside the EU and the risk factors that occur in their absence. If we want to be conscious customers, we should eat and buy domestic seasonal fruit, because it is a controlled and safe product from the farm to the table. By choosing domestic products, we support not only the livelihood of Hungarian farmers and families, but also the entire national economy, added the minister.

He emphasized that a significant part of the domestic cherry, about 50-75 percent depending on the vintage, is an export product

Fresh cherries account for 25% of exports, canned cherries for 70%, and frozen cherries for 5%. Hungary plays a leading role in the EU trade in canned cherries. Our most important target market is Germany. He explained that due to last year’s drought, this year’s frosts and the unusually cold, rainy weather that is favorable for fungal diseases, a slightly lower yield than last year is expected from cherries this year. The quality of the fruit is excellent despite the fact that the start of the season was delayed by 1-2 weeks due to the cold weather, the minister pointed out.

AM