Fruit growers in the UK and Europe fear that 2012 will bring one of the worst harvests in decades after erratic and extreme weather during the first six months of the year have hampered yields and even left some orchards bare.

There could be a shortage of apples, pears and cherries from Europe, as crops in major growing regions have been devastated by adverse weather. In the UK, Eastern counties have been worst affected, having first suffered under drought conditions then experienced late frosts and flooding in recent months.

Some apple growers in the South East have said they may see yields as low as ten per cent of the average crop. For the most part, UK growers are expecting yields around 70 to 80 per cent the average.

Peter Davis of Davis Worldwide, which imports and exports fruit, said orchards in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands had all been affected by the inclement weather. Speaking of the effect on English orchards he said, “We have experienced, over the last two to three months, some really strange weather patterns.”

There are concerns that the reduced availability of certain fruits may result in higher prices as the traditional season begins.

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