Cold Wave Weather Impact on Southern European Agriculture: Spring 2025
Unpredictable weather has once again put Southern European agriculture to the test. In recent weeks, farmers in Greece and Spain have found themselves out in their fields—not to carry out their usual spring tasks but to assess the extent of the damage caused by a wave of extreme weather events, including frost, hail, and sudden temperature swings.
The second major frost wave, which hit many regions of Greece between April 7th and 9th, brought temperatures as low as -6°C. This followed an earlier cold snap on March 20th, compounding the damage already inflicted on fruit crops across Mediterranean Europe.
These erratic weather patterns have caused widespread damage to various crops, threatening upcoming harvests and destabilizing food supply chains. The earlier warm spells encouraged early flowering in many fruit trees, making them highly vulnerable to the sudden return of cold. Apricots, peaches, and almonds have been among the hardest hit, as they were in frost-sensitive stages (flowering, fruit set). Additional losses have been reported in grapevines, apples, pears, and lemon trees, especially following recent hailstorms.
Based on reports from farmers and official insurance bodies, the extent of the damage in key production regions is expected to result in a sharp decline in stone fruit yields this season. Even in regions escaping frost, rain raises concerns for successful pollination and risk of fungal disease outbreaks. This may lead to supply shortages, price increases, and significant disruptions in the fresh fruit market. Let’s analyze the problems in more detail.
Current Weather Conditions and Regional Impact
The severity and unpredictability of the weather events reported from the start of the year (2025) highlight once more the challenges farmers face due to the effects of climate change and expose the uncertainty both at the farm level and especially across the broader agri-food supply chain, where planning, pricing, and distribution are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
Greece - Extensive losses due to frost and hail in stone fruits
Greece experienced some of Southern Europe's most severe cold damage during March 2025. Frost events, with temperatures dropping at -6°C, from the 7th until the 9th of March, affected multiple agricultural regions, especially in the North of the country where there are the centers of production of stone fruits (cherries, apricots, peaches), almonds and kiwis. The Agricultural Association of Skydra (in the Pella region) reported the complete destruction of apricot crops, while kiwi plants in the vegetation stage were frozen. Peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries of all varieties also sustained significant damage.
In Pieria, temperatures reached -3°C, causing major damage to kiwis, apricots, and almonds. Evident is the disappointment of the almond growers, who had indications of a great year coming up and high yields, but for one more year, spring frosts seem to cost them the largest part of their production. The damages in some fields reached up to 90% since this latest frost found the plants already damaged and stressed from the first frost wave that hit the region at the end of March. However, the low temperatures of March found the stone fruit in an even more sensitive stage of early to advanced bloom. The damages are much more extensive for the early-season varieties (especially for table peaches), while some late-season cherry varieties and regions seem to have escaped the damage.
Significant losses have already been reported even in the south of the country in Peloponnese, with the Corinth region recording temperatures down to -4.5°C, and a heavy hailstorm last Friday, 4th of April, affecting table (especially the Corinthian Currant) and wine grapes, pome fruits, and stone fruits. In the municipality of Sikionion, farmers mention extensive damages that will cost them over 50-80% of their production. Farmers from all the regions affected across the country are demanding an immediate assessment and recording of the damages and are filing the claims so the compensation proceedings can start.
Spain - Rough start for the growing season for fruit trees
Ηeavy rainfall and hailstorms that occurred on Friday, April 4th, in the Campos de Hellín region have caused extensive damage to almond trees in the fruit set phase (with up to 50-70% damages reported in some fields) and apricots and peaches currently in the pick of the flowing, according to Agricultural organizations such as UPA and Asaja Albacete, which are conducting assessments to determine the precise economic impact.
In Spain, after an unusually generally mild winter with "very few cold hours," as noted by the president of FENACORE, Juan Valero de Palma, agricultural regions experienced damaging frost events in early 2025, local news sites mentioned. Between January 10 and 17, a mass of cold air from northern Europe caused widespread frost and hail across various zones, particularly severely impacting Valencia, Murcia, Seville, Córdoba, and Almería. Being at the start of the harvesting period, lemon crops suffered extensive damage, with approximately 150,000 tons of lemons lost, leaving a €150 million impact, ASAJA Alicante and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture reports. Concerns are rising in the citrus supply chain for expected limited supply and increased prices since, at the same time, the frost of March has hit Turkish producers, too, with an estimated loss of up to 80% in some regions, AGBI mentions.
At the same time, mild winter temperatures, followed by sudden temperature drops, have created a particularly problematic situation for fruit trees. These conditions prompted early flowering, which subsequently left crops vulnerable to freezing when temperatures plummeted.
However, the problems seem to “be continued” for the Spanish farmers since forecasts indicate continued unpredictability for the rest of the spring, with the potential for more extreme events, according to Agroquivir predictions. Models suggest the rest of spring may bring alternating periods of warmth and sudden cold episodes.
Italy - Frost warning and uncertainty worries Italian farmers
Frost warnings were issued for southern Italy due to Arctic air masses sweeping across the region (and currently also affecting Greece). Morning temperatures dropped below freezing in inner Italy on April 7–8th, as reported by the Severe Weather Europe site. The Po Valley remains at high risk for frost damage as temperatures hover near critical thresholds for blooming fruit trees.
The rest of 2025’s spring is expected to show significant thermal anomalies with generally above-average temperatures. However, meteorologists warn of "strong atmospheric contrasts" and "cold tail blows" that could appear even in mid-spring, according to Agronotizie.
According to Coldiretti, the Italian agricultural organization, 2025 is proving to be a decisive year for the sector, with a 62% increase in extreme climate events compared to the same period last year. The unpredictability has been particularly challenging, as January was recorded as the third warmest ever in Italy (1.76°C above historical average), followed by dramatic temperature drops.
Agricultural Implications - What farmers should expect and do after the recent frost and hail damages in their fruit-tree crops
The agricultural outlook for the coming weeks remains concerning:
- Frost damage to flowering and early fruit set means many orchards will show limited recovery potential this season.
- Some fruit trees may attempt secondary flowering, but these later fruits often have lower commercial value and yield.
- If trees are severely damaged, especially in fruiting wood (for stone fruits), the next year's production may also be affected (reduced).
- Damaged plant tissue combined with humid conditions can create ideal conditions for disease outbreaks. Farmers will need to take precautionary measures, especially in cherries, peaches, apricots, and grapevines, to protect their crops from fungal infections.
- The two back-to-back frost waves and a hailstorm have hit Europe’s top apricot and peach producers in the Mediterranean and Balkans, raising concerns about significant crop losses. The ripple effect may be felt across European markets this summer, with reduced availability and rising prices.
Farmers should be patient and assess the real extent of the damage as the season progresses. However, applying some plant protective products and providing extra care to their trees (sufficient water and nutrients) to facilitate recovery will be necessary. Always consult your local licensed agronomists and agricultural authorities before taking any actions.
The economic impact of the early spring extreme weather
The economic toll of these weather events is substantial. In Spain alone, agricultural incidents in early 2025 have resulted in compensation claims of 50.24 million euros, representing a 20.4% increase over the previous year, based on reports of Valencia fruits. Agroseguro mentions that the damage spans over 34,548 hectares of agricultural land. In Italy, Coldiretti estimates losses in the billions of euros across cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Greek farmers have urgently requested government assistance. Their frustration and despair are prominent since most of them have already spent 80% of the season's costs for prunings and fertilization, and last year's (2024) compensations for similar damages are yet to be completed for many of them. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, with agricultural organizations in all three countries calling for immediate field evaluations and compensation processes to begin. The results of the recent extreme weather events have already been witnessed in the Spanish citrus market, and some disturbance is expected in the Greek market, where reduced production is now expected for apricots and peaches. The specific results of possible price rises are left to be determined and seen as the season progresses.
Conclusion
The 2025 cold waves in Southern Europe represent a significant agricultural challenge with broad implications for food production and economic stability in the region. The unusual pattern of mild winters followed by sudden frost events has proven particularly damaging to fruit crops. As climate patterns continue to show increased volatility, agricultural systems across Spain, Italy, and Greece face pressure to adapt to these new realities of unpredictable weather extremes.
Agricultural authorities and farmer associations are calling for both immediate support for affected producers and longer-term strategies to build resilience against future weather disruptions. The coming weeks will be critical in determining the full extent of crop losses and the potential for any recovery in affected regions.
References
https://ioniantv.gr/megales-katastrofes-apo-to-xalazi-stin-korinthia/
Further reading
What Farmers Are Searching For: 2025 Agrifood Sector Trends Shaping Global Agriculture
From Ice to Drought: The Ripple Effect of Glacier Melting on Food Production
Floods Are Reshaping Mediterranean Agriculture – Can EU Policies Keep Up?
Melting Glaciers: How the agri-food supply chain can help slow down climate change
