“This year, the strawberry season started only a week ago, in the last two years it was already the end of May,” says Jiří Jakoubek, who has strawberry plantations in Kunratice, Prague. According to his employees, the main culprit is the cold and rainy weather, which persisted for much of the spring. But now the harvest is ready for harvest.
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Immediately after opening, around eight in the morning, the first hundred gatherers gathered among the bushes of the plantation. “It’s better in the morning, less sun, less people. We collect more of that and then we can go straight to work, “explains the lady who came to collect strawberries for the production of jam and to stock for freezing. In total, they took about 7 kilograms of strawberries with their helper.
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The first hundred people went to Jahodárna Kunratice on Wednesday morning.
“The strawberries that are being harvested now were still covered with foil. Those who are normally in the field are just ripening for us, so people don’t have to worry, the strawberries will be in the middle of July as well, “explains plantation worker Lucie Nejedlá, according to whom the harvest is already sufficient. “They are tiny, so you collect it longer, but because they are smaller, they are also sweeter, which is great,” describes the young lady, who went to the field in the morning with her friend.
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Most people go to the Kunratice strawberry factory in the morning and then in the afternoon after working hours. Several times more people then visit the self-collection on weekends. “We are open on Wednesdays and Sundays. On Sunday, for example, 400,500 people will come here, “describes Jiří Jakoubek.
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According to pickers, strawberries are smaller this year, but sweeter than in previous years.
“I plan to take about 10 kilograms today. I’ve been coming here every year for about 20 years, the best strawberries in the area are here, “describes the gentleman who processes strawberries into jams. “I’ve picked up such a small basket, it’s not very good with it,” laughs the older lady, pointing to the dirty mouth of her two-year-old grandson.
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Collectors in Kunratice will now pay 69 crowns per kilogram of fresh strawberries, the price is six crowns higher than last year. Other self-collections in the Czech Republic have a similarly set price list, people pay from 50 to 80 crowns for a kilogram of strawberries. It also depends on the region, some self-collections also determine prices according to the size of strawberries. As the season progresses, prices fall as strawberries increase.
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If people want to buy fruit that has already been picked, they will pay more than 100 crowns per kilogram.
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During the season, the price of strawberries ranges between 60 and 100 crowns per kilogram.
The self-collection in Slavonín in Olomouc also increased in price by ten crowns. The kilogram costs 75 crowns. “We increased the price of strawberries due to ever higher and higher costs,” plantation owner Jan Dostál told Radiožurnál. He is surprised by the great interest of the people.
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The strawberry factory in Lysá nad Labem also became more expensive, last year it started the season at a price of 45 per kg, this year it is CZK 55. The self-collection opens there at six in the morning, and on weekends the car park is often full before opening.
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Fear of vacation
On Wednesday, the strawberry factory in Holešov in the Zlín Region also opened for the first time. Although the harvest is good and the interest was great on the first day, its manager Lenka Měrková is especially worried about next month. “Because the season is delayed, it stretches to the beginning of July, when people go on vacation and there is no longer such interest. Therefore, we hope that people will continue to walk, “he explains.
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Self-collection has also begun in Vraňany near Prague. “It has been open for a week and interest is as standard as in previous years. The harvest will be good this year, “describes Milan Hanč from Farm Vraňany. This is also confirmed by Martin Cibulka from Jahodárna Brozany near Litoměřice. “Last year our crop was destroyed by frost at the beginning of April and the harvest was smaller, this year fortunately it was avoided, so it will be better,” says the leader.
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Some self-collections will be open to people until the end of the week.
The late season is also in the Bavorov strawberry factory in České Budějovice, so they plan to open it there on Friday as well.
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