Heatwave Halves Harvest, Prices Lower Than a Decade Ago
With greenhouse temperatures hitting 45°C, Podravina family farms warn that purchase prices for cucumbers and zucchini are not keeping pace with rising labor and energy costs.
With greenhouse temperatures hitting 45°C, Podravina family farms warn that purchase prices for cucumbers and zucchini are not keeping pace with rising labor and energy costs.
Extreme summer heat is delivering severe blows to vegetable producers in Podravina. While outdoor temperatures reach 35°C, inside greenhouses they climb to an unbearable 45°C, directly threatening cucumber and zucchini crops. To avoid the worst of the heat, harvesting begins in the early morning hours.
"We pick cucumbers from five in the morning, and by nine we're done," describes Kamal Matho, a worker from Nepal employed on one of the Podravina family farms. However, adjusting working hours cannot fully protect the plants, which are turning yellow and drying out under the heat, leading to a drastic drop in yields for both cucumbers and zucchini.
Farm owner Dragomir Pajska points out that yields during periods of high temperatures decrease by over 50 percent. He adds that the loss in quantity could potentially be offset by higher prices, but the reality is quite different. "The prices are pathetically low, it's not even worth mentioning anymore because everyone knows they're destroying us," Pajska told HRT.
Producers warn that current purchase prices for cucumbers and zucchini do not even cover basic production costs, creating an ever-widening gap between investment and profit. The situation is further exacerbated by continuously rising costs.
Pajska is pessimistic about the future of the sector. "I no longer see a bright future. I used to, but not anymore. Labor costs are rising, everyone wants a higher salary, energy prices are going up, everything is increasing, while purchase prices are lower than they were ten years ago," he said. This equation, where all inputs become more expensive while the only income declines, is pushing many to the brink.
Farmers have been battling weather extremes for years. In early 2026, snow collapsed greenhouses, and now summer heatwaves are destroying what remains. Without higher purchase prices and more stable business conditions, planning production is becoming an impossible mission.
A new market equipped with cold storage facilities was opened in Kloštar Podravski a month ago. However, the capacities are not yet fully utilized. The mayor of Kloštar Podravski municipality, Siniša Pavlović, explains the reasons. "They're not full because many people didn't know we had these cold storage units and that they are free for our family farms. Now everyone has been informed, and 16 farms have expressed interest in storing their goods, and I believe it will be of great help to them," Pavlović said.
