Cherry CO: a public dataset for cherry detection and segmentation
28 Feb 2025
Each cherry was manually labelled to indicate position, shape and grade, considering aspects such as ripeness, health of the fruit and position in relation to the camera.
Ciliegia di Vignola PGI is once again taking centre stage on the shelves of Italian retailers. The 2026 commercial campaign opens with encouraging prospects and will accompany the market until early July, supported by production estimated by the Consortium at between 40,000 and 50,000 quintals.
The first variety to reach large-scale retail shelves and greengrocers will be Bigarreau Moreau, marking the start of a season awaited with confidence by supply chain operators.
The positive start to the campaign has also been supported by favourable weather conditions. A decisive role is also being played by rain protection covers, now installed in more than 40% of orchards: an increasingly strategic form of protection to safeguard fruit quality, production consistency and commercial value.
In 2026, producers are therefore once again aiming to guarantee premium cherries, recognisable for their flesh firmness, size and organoleptic profile.
A PGI brand rooted between Modena and Bologna
Established in 2012, the Ciliegia di Vignola PGI brand certifies a production area linked to 28 municipalities across the provinces of Modena and Bologna. This is a highly suitable growing area, where pedoclimatic conditions combine with consolidated agricultural expertise, often preserved by family-run farms and handed down over time.
PGI certification does not simply indicate geographical origin: it also identifies a recognisable sensory quality level, guaranteed by strict production specifications that protect the identity, production methods and characteristics of the product.
Monari: “Expectations are marked by optimism”
“Expectations for this season are certainly marked by optimism,” comments Valter Monari, director of the Ciliegia di Vignola PGI Consortium. “Despite the presence of good volumes of cherries from other Italian and European areas, our market positioning remains solid thanks to a product with a high-quality profile and a brand that is recognised and rewarded by consumers.”
The Consortium’s words confirm the central role of territorial distinctiveness in a competitive market, where national and European supply will be abundant, but brand recognition continues to represent a key strength.
Marketing, territory and new consumption opportunities
Supporting the 2026 campaign will also be a communication plan designed to make Ciliegia di Vignola PGI increasingly visible to the general public.
The activities include advertising in consumer magazines and at points of sale, local public relations and outreach to the specialised press, branded trams in Milan, sponsorships and participation in television programmes dedicated to promoting Italian territories.
The collaboration launched in 2023 with Casoni Liquori for Gin Tabar Ciliegia di Vignola PGI is also continuing: a speciality that brings together two excellences from the province of Modena and expands the product narrative beyond fresh consumption.
A season focused on quality and recognition
The 2026 Ciliegia di Vignola PGI campaign therefore opens with positive figures, a strong territorial identity and a structured promotional strategy. In a market context rich in product availability, the challenge will be to further enhance premium quality, certified origin and the link with the territory: three decisive levers for consolidating consumer confidence through to early July.
Source: italiafruit.net
Image source: Stefano Lugli
