It may seem that spring has arrived and long balmy summer nights are just around the corner, but farmers in north-eastern Hungary have not been sleeping easy. According to a variety of sources cherry-picked by us, a series of spring frosts has ravaged fruit harvests, claiming almost 100% of crops in some areas. Total damage cited as up to Ft 1 billion (€4 million), or half of the total harvest. The first wave came on April 24 when night-time temperatures of between minus three and minus eight Celsius damaged a large proportion of apple trees.

The frost is reported to have struck in "streaks" freezing the trees and turning the budding fruit to mush. Crops of peaches, cherries and plums that survived the first big freeze were not so lucky this week, with apricots particularly hard hit. Even maize fields are reported to have been effected. Most worryingly for wine lovers like ourselves, the Tokaj-Hegyalja region was also hit with some estimates calculating 10% to 20% of vines falling foul of the freak weather, while this figure may reach 30-40% in the village of Mád. The only good news is that the Ministry of Agriculture has appealed to Brussels for support and is offering compensation for farmers, as well as helping them renegotiate the terms of their loans. Meanwhile, fruit prices at the local market may stay at winter levels throughout the summer, but there may be special deals on jégbor (ice wine).