Will there be strawberries? Frosts in Volyn have ruined most of the harvest.

Meteorological information about May 2025 in Volyn

May 2025 in Volyn became the coolest in the last two decades. In the first decade of the month, frosts were recorded down to -5 °C, which significantly damaged the harvest of early strawberry varieties. This was stated by Olena Kondratchuk, head of the agricultural meteorological forecasts sector of the Volyn Hydrometeorological Center.

«These conditions are unfavorable for strawberries because they can withstand only down to -3° and when they are in the flowering or budding phase, they can perish. The second decade is coming to an end and it will be even colder, as normally it should be +14° warmth, while we have 9-8°», the forecaster noted.

Kateryna Khomyak, a berry grower, talked about a farm in the village of Romaniv, where due to cold weather, 85% of the strawberry field froze, which amounts to three and a half hectares of strawberry flower.

Currently, prices for strawberries range from 170 to 200 UAH per kilogram.

Besides strawberries, other fruits are suffering too

Due to the April frosts of 2025, a significant part of the harvest of apricots, peaches, and blueberries has been lost, which may lead to an increase in seasonal fruit prices. Apricot prices may rise by 25%, while the situation with apples remains uncertain due to the damage to the flowers.

Moreover, the spring frosts have harmed half of the winter crop sown areas in the right bank part of Kherson region, said Oleksandr Hordiienko, head of the Farmers and Private Landowners Association in Kherson region.

Analyzing the situation, it can be said that the abnormally cold spring has affected not only the strawberry harvest in Volyn but also the overall situation with fruits and winter crops across the country, which may impact the prices of goods in stores and markets.