The fruit harvest in Latvia could be better this year than last and slightly above the average level, suggests Jānis Zilvers, deputy chairman of the board of the Latvian Fruit Growers' Association (LAA).

Zilvers explained that weather conditions for fruit growing this year have been "fairly good". Although it was cool during the fruit trees' flowering period and pollination was not abundant everywhere, if orchards were successfully protected against apple and pear scab, the harvest should be there. Overall, the harvest of fruit - apples and pears, which are the main fruit crops grown in Latvia - will be better than last year and slightly above the average level. However, it will not be as large as the year before last, which was a record year in terms of yield.