‘It will be a year marked by earliness also for the cherry orchards in the open field, given the mild temperatures recorded until a few days ago and for much of the winter period. The fruits have reached an appreciably advanced stage of veraison. We will start harvesting the Bigarreau variety next weekend (end of April), marking an advance of about two weeks compared to last season, when the first cuts were made on 10 May'.
This was reported by entrepreneur Giacomo Giotta, owner of the company of the same name in Conversano (Bari - Apulia) with 20 hectares invested in cherry trees.
The great interest in cherries was already palpable with the first Italian greenhouse productions ready at the beginning of the month, as well as the Spanish ones that later arrived on the markets with prices per kilo prohibitive for the average consumer. In Apulia, the cherry orchards are in excellent health and a good campaign is expected in terms of quantity, quality and size, thanks so far to the absence of any return of cold weather or adverse weather phenomena.
‘The cherry market appears to be quite buoyant this year,’ says the producer. ‘I believe that demands will increase in the coming days, also because a satisfying percentage of extra produce is visible on the plants. Compared to 2023, yields are higher (around +20-25%), but this increase in production will not fully compensate for the numerous explantations that have recently occurred in our areas.
Some speak of a thousand fewer hectares than a year ago. The causes are attributable not only to the spread of Drosophila suzukii, but also to the acute shortage of labour and above all to the commercial crisis we have suffered in recent years'.
Source: Freshplaza
Image: Freshplaza
04 Oct 2024
Officials stated that the estimated harvest of 8,700 tons for this season has decreased by 33% compared to the previous year and by 35% compared to the annual average. The annual harvest has fallen below 10,000 tons only once in the last decade: 9,160 tons in 2021.
25 Jan 2024
A common alternative to fresh consumption is its employment in the production of a wide range of food items. Combining bioactive components and essential acids contained in cherry seeds, a positive repercussion in both economic and environmental terms is desirable.
06 Mar 2026
In Chile, the world leader in cherry exports, an INIA study analyzes the evolution of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae in commercial orchards. The research highlights local adaptation and copper resistance as key factors for integrated management and sustainable production.
06 Mar 2026
Tart cherries, rich in melatonin, tryptophan and polyphenols, may improve sleep and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. A review of seven clinical studies analyzed effects on sleep duration, efficiency and biomarkers, with promising but not consistent results.
