Czech Strawberry Season Kicks Off — But Expect Smaller Berries and Higher Prices

Strawberry season in the Czech Republic is getting underway earlier than many expected. Several farms are welcoming pickers from mid-May, with the bulk of the season running through late May and into June. Kunratická Jahodárna in Prague is among the first to open, targeting a start date no later than May 20. Other operations across the country are planning to follow in late May or early June, though exact dates remain weather-dependent. “The weather is unpredictable and difficult to forecast,” says Jan Simandl, who runs Farma Simandl in the Vysočina region. “We expect to begin picking in early June.” Prices are going up — but only slightly Most farms are not planning dramatic price hikes, though nearly all acknowledge that costs have risen. Inputs like fertilizers and chemicals have become more expensive, and that is beginning to show at the farm gate. At Kunratická Jahodárna, assistant to the director Eva Jakoubek Čorbová was direct: “The price will definitely be higher. Our costs have increased — everything has become more expensive.” At Albaflor, manager Jiří Sixta put a number to it. Prices will rise by ten crowns compared to last year, when a kilogram sold for 79 crowns. That said, the... The post Czech Strawberry Season Kicks Off — But Expect Smaller Berries and Higher Prices appeared first on Prague Morning.