"I don't understand why some businesses have looked down on late peaches and nectarines. They may be a good source of income for farmers, especially in the local area. By using the right agronomic techniques they can get large and sweet fruits. There are so many varieties".
Neri knows a lot about varieties since he has been researching for 12 years and he has got amazing products. He has created the"Romagna" peaches and nectarines which have different names according to the features that distinguish them. For example, "Romagna Late" is a late, yellow nectarine which ripens around 10th September and has a great performance.
Selection of white-flesh peach. It's a cross between Star Red Gold and white-flesh peaches.
During a visit to the fields, FreshPlaza was struck by a selection of white peaches, not patented yet. The fruits on the trees all seem big (5A calibre), weighing up to 500g each. The harvest takes place after mid-September. An easy-to-pit peach, whose taste is delicious thanks to the good balance between sugar and sourness.
"I don't know if it is going to be a patented variety, because the costs are huge, about €20,000. White peaches have been ignored by the market because many operators prefer calibre B or C nectarines to make low-cost baskets for export abroad. This type of peach tastes delicious but it is so large it needs to be managed carefully during all the steps. However, they go like hot cakes at the street markets or retail shops. Consumers are happy with paying the right price, I think, for a product they like. They bought them again at their greengrocers'".
Daniele Neri shows "Romagna Late"
We may give up on the mass products and start to go for fewer but better.
Neri's teacher was professor Vincenzo Ossani, who died a couple of years ago. It was he who selected the nectarines of the Caldesi group.
Romagna Mia, nectarines whose flesh is induced to the red colour due to their red seed when they ripen.
Another late variety by Neri is "Romagna Mia", whose flesh is tinted red by their red seed during ripening. It is large and tasteful.