The cherry harvest has been going on since June. From the farmers' point of view, after three poor harvest seasons, there could be plenty of good cherries again this year.
Halle (dpa/sa) - Saxony-Anhalt's cherry farmers are assuming that 2022 will be a very good cherry year. "We are expecting another good harvest after three years," said a spokesman for the Saxon Fruit Association. Because of the sunny summer so far, the cherries are particularly sweet this year. According to the association, the harvest volume is also very good. The spokesman called on customers to buy the more ecological and, in his opinion, much tastier local cherries. These are available in the supermarket as well as in the farm shops and for picking yourself.
After apples, cherries are the second most important tree fruit in Saxony-Anhalt. According to the ministry, 63 companies in the state manage around 1100 hectares of orchards - mainly in the Mansfeld-Südharz district and in the Saale district. Cherries grow on 332 hectares, with many more sweet cherries (263 hectares) than sour cherries (69 hectares) being cultivated. The yield per hectare for sweet cherries was 46 quintals in 2020, compared to an estimated 50 tons in the previous year. In the case of sour cherries, the area under cultivation was 34.2 quintals in 2020, and an estimated 22 quintals in 2021. According to the ministry, the cherry season lasts until about the end of July.
