Fruit growers suffer huge losses due to frost damage

Fruit growers will lose around CZK 1.3 billion in revenues as a result of extreme frost-damage this year, which may threaten many farmers’ livelihood, Martin Ludvík, chairman of the Fruit Growers' Union told the ctk news agency. According to the latest estimates, 77 percent of the fruit harvest has been damaged and fruit growers are expected to harvest only around 31, 000 tons of fruit compared to the average 138, 900 tons. According to statistics the damage to the fruit is one of the worst in the last 100 years. Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný said earlier that the government would provide farmers with state aid to the tune of CZK 70 to 100 million. He said that while the state cannot afford to compensate farmers fully, it wants to help them survive.