In Vignola, in the province of Modena, the municipal fruit and vegetable market is undergoing a period of change. At the end of April, there were four concessionaires operating in the market: two small ones that remained and two large ones, one of which recently moved its operations to a private warehouse.
Paola Pelloni, owner of the Nuovo Ortomercato Vignola company, confirmed the situation to myfruit.it, explaining the reasons behind the move: "The structure of the market is now obsolete and in a state of disrepair. I preferred to move the employees to the new warehouse. It's a difficult time for producers as well, although the demand for pears, cherries, and plums remains high."
Emilia Muratori, mayor of Vignola, confirmed that one of the two major concessionaires terminated their contract and recalled that a tender was issued to reassign the space, but without success.
Looking to the future, the mayor explained that the concession for the remaining concessionaire will expire in 2025 and there are currently no signs of withdrawal. "We will let the cherry season pass and then make a decision on the vacant space."
"The two smaller concessionaires have renewed their contract, and we will hold a new competition to allocate the vacant area. Additionally, those who remain have requested to use additional stalls beyond those provided by the contract, indicating that the business is doing well."
Regarding criticisms of the market conditions, the mayor stated: "We have initiated a renovation of some areas. The market requires significant, albeit costly, extraordinary maintenance. When we issued the tender, two concessionaires emerged compared to the previous one, and each concessionaire needed their autonomy. For this reason, we built a processing room that was missing in one of the two lots."
The mayor also highlighted another resolved issue: "We have installed a fire ring with an investment exceeding €200,000, a significant project for Vignola Patrimonio. Although we are aware that there is still work to be done, as soon as we have the necessary financial resources, Vignola Patrimonio has already identified the priorities. It is not true that nothing has been done; our goal is to find the resources to gradually address all needs."
Source: myfruit.it
Image: Comune di Vignola
05 Aug 2025
In Chile, sweet cherry trees face heat and drought due to climate change, risking lower yield and quality. Sweetheart and Santina cultivars benefit from phytohormones and innovative agronomic strategies to withstand summer heat and water stress, keeping production sustainable.
25 Dec 2023
In this year's finale, the Cherry Times team would like to express its gratitude to all readers who have chosen us as their preferred source of information to understand and delve into the wonderful world revolving around the fruit of paradise: the cherry.
27 Mar 2026
Retractable rain covers enhance yield and fruit quality in family cherry orchards in Chile. They provide climate protection, increased light exposure and efficient labor management, offering a flexible solution for small growers seeking stability and cost optimization.
27 Mar 2026
Insect nets in cherry orchards modify temperature, humidity and solar radiation, shaping the microclimate without altering plant phenology. Data from the Ceris’innov project in France highlight effects on heat, wind, fruit development, quality and orchard management.
