Dutch fruit growers report strong cherry and blueberry harvests despite heat

Fruit producers in the Netherlands and neighboring Belgium have successfully harvested their crops this season despite unusually high temperatures and occasional storms. Cherry growers Theo and Erik Vernooij in Cothen reported a plentiful harvest, introducing new varieties and using a drone‑deployed shade system that kept canopy temperatures several degrees lower than the outside heat. Their annual Cherry Festival attracted up to 9,000 visitors and sales to major retailers such as Albert Heijn remained robust.

Blueberry farmer Frans Schrijnwerkers in Oudsbergen (Flemish region) also completed a largely on‑schedule harvest. After a protected‑culture phase, the crop moved to open‑field picking, with both hand and machine harvests. While the farm faced brief weather threats from hail, storms and temperatures reaching 42 °C, damage was limited to minor bruising and a small loss of foliage. Production is expected to match or slightly exceed the previous year’s output.

Both growers noted that improved water management and careful varietal selection helped mitigate the heat’s impact, allowing them to meet market demand and maintain quality for fresh sales and processing.