Apulian cherry season: rain and prices slow the start

Between adverse weather and growing competition, the start of the 2026 Apulian cherry season is putting early varieties and operators under pressure, while expectations shift towards firm-fleshed cultivars and Ferrovia

For cherries, as is well known, May is worth an entire season. It is the month when harvesting gets into full swing, demand increases and value is concentrated in a narrow commercial window, exposed to every change in the weather. But when the season begins with persistent rain, cracking and fruit damaged by wind, even a campaign that started with good production prospects is forced to confront the fragility of a sector already under strain. The complexity of the situation is also confirmed by the alarm raised by Coldiretti Puglia, which estimates damage of up to 40% on Bigarreau cherries in the south-east of Bari, with fruit compromised by excess water and wind in the areas of Conversano, Rutigliano, Turi, Castellana Grotte and Casamassima. In addition to production losses, there is also pressure on prices, which in just a few days have fallen to much lower levels than those recorded at the very beginning of the harvest.

Taking stock of the 2026 cherry season is Alessandro Nisi of Di Palma Food Srl, a Conversano-based company active in the wholesale trade of fresh fruit and vegetables since 2001.

The 2026 cherry season is now in full swing with the harvest of early varieties. However, the rains of the last two weeks have affected its start: what effects are being observed?

The problem mainly concerned the Bigarreau variety, but more generally the early varieties now close to harvest. We are still harvesting, but the result is not what was expected. At the beginning of the campaign there were good prospects, also in terms of volumes; then the weather changed the picture. The rains were not violent, but continuous. And it is precisely this persistence, combined with high humidity and fruit already at maturity, that created the most critical conditions. In addition to encouraging cracking, which appeared clearly on the crops ready to be harvested, compromising commercial quality and reducing the amount of product that could actually be valorized, the fruit also showed rubbing damage caused by wind. And with cherries, even apparently limited damage can become a serious problem, because when the cellular structure of the fruit is compromised, browning starts quickly. This means a shorter shelf-life, greater difficulty in warehouse management and lower commercial resistance. At a stage when the market is already competitive, presenting a fragile product further reduces the ability to defend prices.

From a phytosanitary point of view, could the weather conditions of these days create further critical issues?

Crop protection was carried out regularly until ripening, so we are not talking about a campaign that was neglected from a phytosanitary point of view. The point is that rain, humidity and wet soils create a favorable context for certain problems. There is concern over a possible greater presence of Ceratitis capitata, but the main fear remains linked to Drosophila suzukii, because with ripe fruit and persistent humidity the conditions become more favorable. We hope the situation remains under control, but this phase requires constant monitoring.

How heavily does this difficult start weigh on a campaign that, at least in expectations, could have counted on good volumes?

It weighs heavily, because the first part of the campaign is not going as expected. It is not over yet, but it is clear that the start has been penalized. At this point we need to look at the second part, which will continue until the end of June with late varieties and especially with Ferrovia. The problem is that for cherries the commercial window is short. If you lose the first window, there is not much room to recover. And when less-than-optimal quality is combined with good product availability from other production areas, both Italian and Spanish, it becomes more difficult to recognize the value that growers deserve.

Bigarreau cherries in a covered orchard

So the issue of covers is once again central?

Absolutely. This year demonstrates it very clearly: those with covers have achieved a much better result. We are not talking about a marginal advantage, but about a substantial difference in the ability to preserve the fruit. In open fields, it can happen that a worker harvests 70 kilos and that a significant part must be discarded. Under covers, on the other hand, waste is greatly reduced, because the fruit does not remain wet for hours, especially during the night, when temperatures drop and temperature fluctuations have an additional impact.

Two situations must be distinguished: one thing is cracking linked to water absorbed by the plant and transferred to the fruit; another is leaving cherries wet on the tree for a long time. These are different dynamics, but both affect quality. Covers are designed precisely to reduce this exposure.

So they are no longer a tool for bringing production forward, but for protecting it?

Exactly. Covers should not be considered only as a tool to bring harvest forward or manage it better. Today they are a protection system for the fruit, farm income and commercial continuity. We cannot think that an entire sector can be compromised by two or three days of rain. This year we did not have extreme events or destructive storms; we had light but continuous rain. Yet that was enough to put a significant part of production in difficulty. This means that the problem is not only climatic, but also structural.

On the market, how are prices moving compared to recent years?

Compared to the last two years, we are definitely lower. This year there is production in the Verona area, in Emilia-Romagna, in Campania and especially in Spain. When supply is abundant and quality is not perfect, the market becomes very selective. After the very first days, Bigarreau cherries are currently moving indicatively between 2.50 and 3.50 euros per kilo for growers. Firm-fleshed cherries manage to obtain slightly more, around one euro of difference, but pressure remains strong. Under these conditions growers struggle to see the value of their work recognized.

What would the sector need in order to overcome this recurring fragility?

Without doubt, some form of aggregation, not necessarily commercial, but strategic. A common path needs to be built to study tools for recovery, development and protection of production. The sector needs a more organized vision. Covers are part of the answer, but a shared strategy is also needed, following the example of what has already been done in some production areas of Northern Italy. Without this technical and organizational leap, we risk repeating the same pattern every year: good production potential, a short commercial window and part of the value lost as soon as the weather turns unfavorable.

Ilaria De Marinis
© fruitjournal.com

Image source: Stefano Lugli

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