The cherries on the market in both Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil are mainly from the Petrich region, and traders expect a drop in price in the coming weeks.
„Compared to last year, this year there are more cherries. Last year there were no cherries and therefore the price was higher and the quality of the cherry was not as good. This year, the cherry is of quite good quality," said the trader Dimitar Stoyanov, quoted by bTV.
According to the producers, however, the low temperatures in April and May may lead to a poor harvest. There are still no early cherries in Kyustendilsko because of the bad weather.
„Cracking of the cherry begins, for now they are still in an earlier phase, but the moment they start to clear, to thicken, there will be cracking in any case. This will cut between 30% and 40%, in some massifs up to 50% of the production they currently have on the trees”, says producer Valery Yovev.
The municipality of Kyustendil tries to support local producers and initiates a number of meetings before the cherry campaign related to the realization of the production and protection of the campaign. They also have another important meeting to solve a long-standing problem – the hailstones.
„Construction for the future of a site to combat hailstorms, because there is no such site in Southwest Bulgaria, especially in Kyustendil. And every year a big risk for our harvest, which is over 19 decares. they are hiding the hailstones", the mayor of Kyustendil Ognyan Atanasov announced to bTV.
The municipality of Kyustendil is also starting a procedure to protect the geographical term “Kyustendil cherry” in order to guarantee the quality of the fruits grown in the area.