Professor Zoran Keserović of the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad said that late spring frost destroyed part of Serbia’s apple crop and that, while the purchase price of 60 dinars per kilogram is acceptable, production costs have risen sharply. He recalled that the apple harvest in 2021 reached a record 515,000 tons, while this year’s yield is expected to be around 330,000 tons. In addition to frost, the war in Ukraine has reduced production in recent years by disrupting exports and payment methods, prompting some producers to destroy orchards.
Keserović noted that strong winds this year destroyed up to 70% of hazelnuts and stressed the need for wind protection belts in such plantations. Frost and diseases have also decimated other crops, wiping out 90% of apricots and cherries. Total fruit production and exports, which reached a record 1.45 million tons in 2021, are projected to fall to a maximum of 1.1 million tons this year.
Despite lower yields, Keserović said that record-high fruit prices could still generate foreign currency inflows of \$700–800 million, exceeding wheat export revenues. He emphasized the importance of planning which fruit varieties are grown in specific Serbian regions to ensure profitability and adapting to climate change through modern technologies.
He pointed to the anti-hail SPAG system, used in Portugal and now by a farmer in Bačinci, which disrupts hail formation in storm clouds using gas waves from anti-hail cannons. The system, costing about €57,000 for 80 hectares, eliminates the need for protective nets or disaster insurance and is remotely managed from France.
Farmer Goran Filipović reported that his apple yield is down 60% but of excellent quality, with the purchase price rising from 50 to 60 dinars per kilogram. However, he said that profits are impossible because of the small crop and high production costs. Due to unfavorable weather, he had to apply pesticides frequently, spraying the orchard 26 times this year. He added that the main goal now is simply to cover input costs and avoid carrying debt into next year.
