Dutch apple and pear growers are apparently facing severe losses after around 100mm of rain fell in one night and hailstones of up to three centimetres wrecked crops just a week before picking was due to start.
Violent storms spread from the south-west to the north-east of the country last weekend (30 August), reportedly affecting fruit firms based between the towns of Nijmegen and Bergen op Zoom across approximately 150km.
According to Dutch news outlet AGF, around 21 topfruit firms have been affected, with insurance claims already being filed. One supplier told AGF that damage ranges from mild to rendering fruit 'completely worthless', while other growers are still assessing the impact.
Belgian producer Marc van Vooren said the storms have been a “disaster” for Dutch growers. “There is a lot of money involved as they were due to start picking next week,” he said.
