Early Plum Harvest and Fruit Drop Affect Supply; Bronisze Prices at €1.4–1.7/kg

The 2026 Polish plum season is marked by accelerated ripening and a significant fruit drop in the Čačanska Lepotica variety, while wholesale prices at Bronisze on 20 July stand at €1.4–1.7/kg.

Wholesale prices for plums at the Bronisze market near Warsaw on 20 July 2026 are reported at €1.4–1.7/kg (6–7.5 PLN/kg). The supply of domestic plums is increasing as the harvest of early varieties begins, but yields are affected by recent weather events.

Growers across several regions report an earlier than usual ripening of the main varieties, especially Čačanska Lepotica and Kalipso. In the Grójec region, the harvest of Kalipso has started ahead of the traditional schedule, preceding even the local cherry (Łutówka) harvest. The overlap of plum and cherry harvests is unusual for this time of year.

A widespread fruit drop of Čačanska Lepotica is observed, with growers noting that 15–20% of the fruit has fallen prematurely in orchards with average yields, such as those in the Mogielnica area (IV class soils). The dropped plums are typically smaller (about 20 mm diameter) and have stopped growing, while the remaining fruit continues to size up.

The premature fruit drop is attributed to stress from a prolonged drought and heatwave in June, despite significant rainfall (80–100 l/m²) in early July. The drought stress had already caused trees to shed part of their crop before the rain arrived.

Demand for early domestic plums is present, with buyers entering the market as new varieties reach maturity. No data is available so far on export or import volumes for the 2026 season.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker