The case in summary Deputy Mayor Geir Jostein Ørsjødal from Inderøy has had success growing peaches in his garden and hopes to inspire others to try the same. Ørsjødal believes climate change offers new opportunities for fruit growing in Trøndelag, especially near the sea. Inderøy Mosteri does not believe that peach cultivation has a great economic potential in Norway, as the market is too small and there is no receiving system for peaches. The horticulture hall is open to receive Norwegian peaches and other types of tropical fruit, as long as the consumer shows interest and the production is successful. Climate change can lead to warmer weather and a longer growing season, which can provide better conditions for fruit growing in Norway, but can also lead to extreme weather that affects production. Ørsjødal plans to try its hand at growing nectarines next year. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. In the garden there is a tree with apples, pears and morellar. It grows well here. But there is one tree in particular that stands out. – They are actually very good. Light, fine and juicy, says Geir Jostein Ørsjødal. The blue deputy mayor (H) with green fingers in the Trønder municipality Inderøy has just harvested his first peaches from his own garden this summer. The peach tree was bought for the wife’s birthday in August last year, and came with blossoms and fruit this year. Now he hopes to inspire others to rethink and invest in the cultivation of new fruits. – Maybe the spring was a little special. It was warm and favorable conditions, but I did not expect that there would be so much fruit. After the local newspaper wrote about the newest tree, he has received a lot of attention. Finished peaches in the garden of Inderøy’s deputy mayor, Geir Jostein Ørsjødal. Photo: Eivind Aabakken Myttji rainfall and myttji heat You can buy your own peach tree at many garden centers in Norway, but the juicy fruit is primarily grown in southern Europe, California and South Africa. According to figures from the Information Office for Fruit and Vegetables, we imported 7.2 tonnes of peaches and nectarines for sale in Norwegian shops. – Climate change is here, and I think we should take advantage of the potential it gives us. Fruit growing in Trøndelag – especially close to the sea – is very beneficial. We have enough rainfall and enough heat. Maybe Trøndelag is the new Hardanger, says Ørsjødal. In Gartnerhallen, they envisage that both Norwegian peaches and other new varieties will eventually become popular. – This assumes that the consumer shows interest in new products, and that production is successful, among other things in terms of quantity and quality, says organizational manager Gunn Jorunn Sørum. Gunn Jorunn Sørum is positive that more people want to grow fruit. Photo: Julie Lunde Lillesæter / Julie Lunde Lillesæter/Differ Media She adds that they are already in the process of testing Norwegian apricot sales in stores in Western Norway. – It is relevant to see peaches and other new varieties of fruit in Norway in the future. We at Gartnerhallen applaud those who try out the cultivation of new varieties of fruit and vegetables in Norway, and also support several such projects ourselves through the Grofondet, says Sørum. – The market is too small Ørsjødal in Inderøy believes that Norwegian farmers must rethink and grow fruit varieties such as peaches, in any case as an addition to other production. – The biggest challenge for topsoil is that it grows back. It must be a great idea where possible. A few kilometers away, Inderøy Mosteri has turned fruit into a shop. Press master Yngve Henriksen does not entirely agree that growing peaches is profitable. – There is a type of tropical fruit that can be ripened in Trøndelag, both peaches, nectarines and apricots. It’s great fun, but I don’t think it has great economic potential, says Henriksen. Yngve Henriksen is press master at Inderøy Mosteri. Photo: Eivind Aabakken / news He thinks it is because we in Norway have invested heavily in, among other things, apples, pears and plums. – There is no reception system for peaches and apricots in Norway. The market is simply too small. The quality of what comes from Europe is also so good that it is difficult to compete with it, says Henriksen. Must eat and produce more Norwegian Although Gunn Jorunn Sørum in Gartnerhallen is open to growing tropical fruit in Norway, she believes that the main focus should initially be on increasing the consumption of Norwegian fruit and vegetables. At Meny in Sogndal, one has started selling Norwegian-grown apricots. Photo: Kaia Johnsen Viki / news – Green farming is much more market-based than the rest of agriculture, and it is therefore absolutely crucial to balance supply and demand as best as possible so that production for the farmer is profitable. In the first instance, we must therefore work to increase the consumption of Norwegian fruit and vegetables. When that happens, we are ready to increase production, she says. Climate plays a role Climate change can help affect fruit production. – Climate change can bring warmer weather and a longer growing season, which means that you can get better conditions for growing fruit in Norway, says Sørum. A heavy hailstorm in several places in Austlandet before the summer hit the fruit farmers hard. 10 percent of the annual apple production in Norway was destroyed. Photo: Anders Haualand / news But climate change can also lead to extreme weather, which can affect the production of fruit and vegetables. – This means that each individual farmer is taking enormous risks, and here it is important that we have good arrangements for climate adaptation and reduced climate risk, says Sørum. Fluff and large amounts of rainfall last year, and heavy hailstorms this year, are some examples of more extreme weather affecting Norwegian fruit and vegetable production. Temperature in Norway since 1900 compared to the average in the period 1991-2020 +1°C compared to normal? Click for explanation normal temperature1900192019401960198020002020Go to news’s Climate Status Why are most years blue and colder than normal? This is because all years are now compared to a new normal, that is, the average of weather in the 30-year period 1991-2020. These 30 years have been unusually warm. Most other years are therefore colder than normal. Until recently, researchers used a normal period that ran from 1961-1990. In these years it was relatively cold. It’s been quite a while since the 1960s and the new normal allows us to compare the weather with the climate (normal) that people actually experience today. The normal period is determined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and is used in all countries . In this way, we can compare the weather in Norway with other countries and we can measure changes all over the globe. How can you calculate one temperature for the whole of Norway? There are many hundreds of thermometers located around Norway. These are read at fixed times and collected and checked by the Meteorological Institute. In some places the measuring stations are close together, in other places there is a greater distance. Using a statistical method, the meteorologists are able to give the measurements different weights, so that all parts of the country have equal importance: The country is divided into routes of 1*1 kilometer and the meteorologists then calculate one temperature for each route. Then they can again work their way up to one figure for the whole country, for a county, for a month or for an entire year. Nectarine for next year At home with Geir Jostein Ørsjødal in Inderøy, he is proud of this year’s peach crop. Geir Jostein Ørsjødal’s garden is full of fruit – he has no intention of giving up just yet. Photo: Eivind Aabakken – I have stood in Høgre-bua and talked about peaches instead of politics. I almost think I’ll start with fruit growing instead of politics, laughs Geir Jostein Ørsjødal. – No, I think this is fun. Next year I will try my hand at nectarines, he concludes. Published 25/08/2024, at 19.58
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The Norwegian peach can become a reality – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
