Strawberry woes: farmers battle pests, weather, EU bans
Malcolm Borg, president of 'Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi', says a previously unknown mite was one of three likely reasons why the latest harvest was a poor one
A new pest detected in Malta is one of the factors behind strawberries being in short supply this spring, according to an agriculture expert.
Lovers of the fruit, which is currently in season, have faced steeper-than-usual prices per punnet.
Malcolm Borg, president of Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi, said a previously unknown mite was one of three likely reasons why the latest harvest was a poor one.
“The other two factors are the weather, with south winds in February bringing with them high levels of humidity and diseases, and limited access to certain highly effective pesticides that have been banned by the EU,” Borg said, adding that the strawberry is a very sensitive plant.
“There are alternative pesticides available, but the companies don’t ship to Malta because it is a small market and therefore not worth it for them,” he said.
When Times of Malta visited several greengrocers, the average price for a large punnet of strawberries was around €7. However, Borg said prices varied from place to place, and even from one week to the next.
“While high prices aren’t ideal for consumers, they mean that farmers get more for their labour, as opposed to years of high supply when farmers give away strawberries practically for free,” he said.
Thousands of locals and tourists flocked to Mġarr for the annual Festa Frawli on Sunday. Photo: Facebook/Festa FrawliOn Sunday, thousands of locals and tourists alike flocked to Mġarr for the annual Festa Frawli. The festival brings together farmers, professional chefs, artists, and musicians, with visitors sampling and buying a wide variety of strawberry products including snacks, desserts, jams, gourmet dishes and beverages and strawberry wine.
Mayor Paul Vella said that despite the limited supply of strawberries, he believed this year’s festival attracted a record number of visitors.
Meanwhile, Borg confirmed it is looking like it will be a good year for olives.
“Olive trees produced a lot of flowers this year. This is likely because last year’s bad harvest meant they didn’t expend much energy and had time to rest. This time of year is critical, so we’ll wait and see,” he said.
Earlier this year, olive growers described the previous harvest as being terrible, with windy weather and lack of rainfall in 2024 resulting in a shortage of local olive oil.