The blossoming of some peach varieties is at least fifteen days early in the San Ferdinando di Puglia and Trinitapoli areas. "We expect this to be another dry year, just like the last one. The trees of some white peach varieties developed few buds, so we pruned a lot of branches to obtain normal quantities. However, we are expecting yields to be lower," reports producer Nicola Bollino.
Nicola expects yields to be much lower than last year, which was a record year (+30% with respect to previous years). "In addition, there were few chill hours, which will affect setting and quality."
As regards the lack of water, the producer reports that the resources from the Consorzio di bonifica are not enough on their own. "When ripening, peach orchards need a lot of water, so we need to find wells."
Apricot orchards will also blossom soon. "Actually, greenhouse orchards are probably already blossoming."
"We cannot guarantee good produce if we don't protect our crops. With increasingly high production costs, we cannot afford to make mistakes. In addition, the weather is no longer what it used to be. This morning, temperatures went from 1 to 12°C in just two hours. A drop in temperatures now would be lethal for blossoming varieties, let's hope it will rain instead."
"We are looking to cover the period between May and September with the new red nectarine varieties. In addition, we are also considering innovative peach and Percoca cultivars. Having something that makes you stand out on the market is a great advantage."