This summer hasn't been the easiest for Estonia's strawberry growers. However, there are still plenty of Estonian strawberries on the market. At the moment, a box of Estonian strawberries costs an average of €6.90 a kilo with little hope of them getting cheaper, as strawberries tend to get more expensive in August.

According to strawberry sellers, now is the best time to buy strawberries, especially if you want to stock up to make jam for the winter months.

Tiina Urm, owner of Tontoli berry farm, said there was no chance that prices will fall.

"On the contrary, they're going to go up, because new batch for this year will start coming in next week, and after that the prices will go up anyway," Urm said.

Strawberry seller Ekaterina also said prices will definitely be on the rise.

"The prices are usually €10 to €14 a kilo in August already, so they will definitely go up. Now is the right time to pick them, though after Midsummer is usually the right time. This year everything is later, so now is the time to pick, if people want good, beautiful strawberries, now is the time ," Ekaterina said.

The rainy summer has delayed the ripening of Estonian strawberries. However, according to Anna-Liisa Ingver, manager of Tartu Market, there are no fewer strawberry sellers this year than in 2024. The only difference is that the period in which they are being sold has begun later.

"There are some who have started later. It's been quite difficult. If you look at this year, it was exactly a month later that the Estonian strawberries were ready compared to last year."

"Contracts are signed in advance, after all, last year. They come rent their place from us. But it's difficult, if the strawberries are only ready later, then what can you do if you have nothing to sell? In that case, you just come at the time when you actually have them ready," Ingver said.

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