Supply of popular fruit plummets as severe frost devastates crops: 'Catastrophic losses'

A severe frost in Turkey has disrupted the global apricot market, and the effects will linger for over a year.

What's happening?

The extreme weather, including temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the 36 provinces, affected current and future crops of the stone fruit, Fresh Plaza reported.

"Malatya Province, which produces 85% of Turkey's apricots, suffered catastrophic losses, with production expected to drop from 750,000 tons to just 10,000 tons in 2025," the outlet noted, adding that prices will rise in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Central Asia. 

On the other hand, producers in Spain, Uzbekistan, and Italy could benefit from increased demand.

Why is this important?

As Fresh Plaza pointed out, extreme weather has impacted harvests around the world. Apricot growers in Moldova, Bulgaria, and Greece are part of that trend of significant losses, while Ghana's cashews, Pennsylvania potatoes, and fruits and vegetables in Australia have also been affected.

These are just some of the consequences of rising global temperatures caused by the burning of dirty fuels for energy. This produces heat-trapping gases that envelop the planet like a blanket, push sea levels higher, and make extreme weather events more frequent and severe.

That weather includes heat waves, droughts, rains, and floods. Weather whiplash is another concern, as extreme swings imperil communities, infrastructure, and property in addition to farmers' crops and livelihoods.

What's being done about extreme weather?

Because extreme weather is caused by human actions, it can be reversed by human actions. The goal is to reduce the production of planet-warming pollution. Governments and companies are working to do so, and scientists are engineering crops to withstand increasingly severe weather in the interim. Lettuce, for example, can be treated to better survive freezing temperatures.

Small steps by individuals help, too. Consider upgrading your grass yard to a native plant lawn or installing a heat pump or solar panels. Instead of driving, you can take public transit, bike, or walk. As a bonus, all these behaviors will help you save money.

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