Apulia, the Italian queen of cherries, is facing an unexpected weather event that risks upsetting the season. In June, the Apulian production could in fact be cut by 50% due to late frosts that hit the area, especially in the Bari province.
A hard blow for the local producers, in particular for the famous Ferrovia variety.
Despite the promising start of the cherry campaign, with excellent quality and prices 10% above average, the near future looks difficult. Nicola Giuliano, head of Giuliano Puglia Fruit, does not hide his concern: “Inspections in the late-production fields do not look promising.
The early April frost burned the pistils of the flowers, severely compromising the harvests, especially of the Ferrovia, our flagship for the second part of the season.”
The first forecasts speak of at least a 50% loss in the production expected in June, but losses could even exceed this threshold.
However, the campaign had started with positive signals. Early varieties, such as Bigarreaux, showed good size and excellent quality, pushing prices up to 10% above the seasonal average.
Giuliano explains: “As long as we stay in the first half of May, there will be no problems. From mid-May onwards we expect a slight drop in prices with the increase in consumption.”
Looking at June, the picture is more complex: lower quantities but larger sizes and probably higher prices. A scenario that could favor, commercially speaking, national competitors from Northern Italy (Emilia Romagna and Veneto) and foreign players like Turkey and Greece, ready to capture part of the European demand.
The Apulian case highlights the vulnerability of crops to climate change and the increasing weather unpredictability.
For Italy and Europe, it will become increasingly crucial to invest in varietal research and agronomic techniques capable of protecting crops from extreme events.
The challenge is open: to protect the agricultural heritage without giving up the quality that distinguishes made in Italy.
Source: corriereortofrutticolo.it
Image: SL Fruit Service
20 Jun 2024
"One of the problems that the PDO has to face every year is the marketing of normal cherries from which the stalk is removed to pass them off as picota cherries,' says Fátima López-Santamaría, PDO Cereza del Jerte technician, 'using the PDO trademark illegally.
26 Jun 2024
Of all the unusual names for cherries, few have raised as many questions as the Black Republican. The story of the Black Republican cherry begins with Henderson Lewelling, the eldest son of a Quaker family who ran a successful nursery in Iowa in the late 1830s.
10 Apr 2026
The first Spanish greenhouse cherries reach the European market with very limited volumes and prices up to €80/kg. Strong demand from the Netherlands, Scandinavia and the UK, while the open-field season may start later than usual, impacting exports.
10 Apr 2026
A study on 22 sweet cherry cultivars in Zaragoza examines how warmer winters affect dormancy and flowering. Declining winter chill alters phenology and threatens yield, varietal adaptation and long-term sustainability in Mediterranean growing regions.
