Forecasts of gross yields of fruit and berries, including grapes, have been lowered by 29 percent due to May frosts reported almost in all regions of Ukraine.
The national forecast of yields of fruit and berries was reduced from 2.473 million to 1.755 million tonnes, the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry said on its website, citing reports it had received from regional administrations.
Stone fruit crops were hit by the frosts most, the forecast of their harvest was reduced by 39 percent, to 292,000 tonnes. In particular, the yield of apricots is projected at 33,300 tonnes, that of peaches and nectarines at 9,700 tonnes. Their earlier forecasts were 71,000 tonnes and 18,000 tonnes, respectively.
The ministry projects that the loss of the yield of grapes will be 13 percent. Farmers are expected to gather 333,000 tonnes of grapes this year against the previously projected 380,000 tonnes.
However, the ministry said, the May frosts had no significant impact on the grain crops whose condition is estimated at good and satisfactory.
