Your Favorite Fruits Could Be at Risk Due to the Climate Crisis

Researchers warn that climate change may impact the fruits available at your grocery store. Apples, pears, cherries, plums, and apricots are most likely to be affected.

Earlier Blossoms

Climate change means spring arrives earlier in many regions, leading fruit trees to break dormancy and bud earlier than usual, which can be problematic.

In some cases, it means that frost is more likely to get the fruit blossoms, significantly reducing production. For example, this was an issue in 2021 when a late freeze occurred in Michigan, which grows the third largest number of apples in the U.S. This reduced yield by about 20% across all varieties.

The same thing happened in 2017 when an early spring arrived in Georgia. Warm temperatures were followed by a freeze, causing a significant reduction in production. A single night of freezing temperatures can drop output by 12% for pears and 24% for baking apples.