Strawberry cultivation takes place on approximately 800 hectares in Hungary, reported Világgazdaság. The largest strawberry-growing region is located around Lajosmizse (central Hungary), while the previously traditional production in Tahitótfalu (northern Hungary) is on the decline.
Strawberry cultivation can actually be successful on any good-to-average quality land located within 30 kilometers of a major city. This is important because strawberries are not a fruit that ripens after harvest. Their excellent quality is evident in the few days following picking, in contrast to their large, crisp but extremely flavorless Greek competitors that have traveled for days. Greek strawberries are available for nearly half the price of domestic ones, so Hungarian strawberries really have to step up their game.
Growers are adapting to these expectations. The first greenhouse-grown strawberries have been available in the country for some time, and greenhouse crops from the northern regions have now caught up.
At farmers’ stands, early-season fruit is typically available now for 3,800–4,000 forints per kilogram (roughly 10–10.5 euros)
Photo: Pexels
Depending on the region and cultivation method, it may still be two to four weeks before “Pick-Your-Own” gardens open.
At a farm in Bezenye, in the Kisalföld region, most of the four-hectare area is sold through a “Pick-Your-Own!” program. Currently, they are selling greenhouse-grown strawberries at their own stands, the primary producer told Agroinform.
Last year, families could pick strawberries from the open fields for 1,500 forints. This year, they expect a larger harvest, thus a realistic price would be 1,300–1,400 forints (about 3.4–3.6 euros)
Via Világgazdaság; Featured photo: Pexels
