Tartu strawberry growers battle heat and rain

Warm weather has caused strawberries to ripen rapidly, forcing growers to harvest quickly. At Tartu's market, the price per kilogram has fallen from over ten euros last week to five to six euros, signalling the start of peak season.

A clear change in strawberry prices is evident at Tartu's market: just last week a kilogram cost over ten euros, but now the same amount can be purchased for five to six euros. This price drop directly reflects the arrival of peak season, when fields are full of berries and growers are under pressure.

The intense heat that arrived in the first days of the week has caused strawberries to ripen explosively. The hot sun accelerates ripening to such an extent that growers struggle to harvest their crop from the fields before the approaching rain causes the berries to spoil.

Quick harvesting has always been a challenge in strawberry cultivation, but heat followed by rain creates an especially tense situation. Strawberries are delicate; left in the field too long, they become overripe and are no longer suitable for sale or long-term storage.

However, the sharp price drop is good news for consumers: at Tartu's market, fresh local strawberries can now be bought at half the price compared to last week.