How do I protect my fruit from hail?

The climate is getting more and more intense and hail damage is becoming more common. This increasingly raises the question for you as a grower: how do I protect my fruit from hail? There are 3 solutions I'd like to discuss with you:

Solution 1: Hail damage insurance

You can insure against hail damage with many insurers. Hail insurance covers the damage to fruit, so you won't make a loss that year. Only in reality, follow-up damage can be fatal for some fruit growers. For instance, if you cannot deliver to a regular customer for a year, they will start looking for a new supplier. Of course, this is not the case for everyone. The insurance premium can vary a lot. The area you are in, the race and the policy conditions affect the premium. The personal deductible also plays a big role.

Solution 2: Hail cannons

A hail cannon is a device that shoots sound waves into the air to make hail smaller, drop earlier and even destroy it. There is no scientific evidence yet that hail cannons really work. Some fruit growers are positive about them, others negative. The sound waves also often cause frustration among local residents, so this method is becoming less common.

Picture: www.heinkenszand.info

Solution 3: Hail net systems

A hailnetsystem not only offers a solution against hail damage, as with insurance. Hail nets also offer a solution against consequential damage. With hail nets, you can continue to deliver to your loyal customers. A hail net canopy is a one-time investment, with recurring costs such as maintenance and roll-up costs. This sometimes makes it seem like an expensive investment (check prices here) . With a canopy, you also have to take into account a change in the climate under the canopy. The fruit has less light at its disposal. In years with lots of sun, this can be beneficial and help against sunburn. In years with little sun, this can be negative for colouring.

So there are 3 solutions for you as a fruit grower to choose from. Each solution has its pros and cons and every situation and need is different for every fruit grower.

For example, you can also choose to take some or all of your harvest at your own risk, roof some of your hectares, and so on. So calculate with us or your crop consultant the best option for your situation! Would you like to schedule a meeting? Schedule an appointment here.