The apples will be available to Italian and foreign consumers all year round, with unaltered freshness and nutritional properties thanks to the Consortium's storage solutions which include the caves carved in the Dolomites.
The strengthening of the agreement between Consorzio Melinda and Consorzio La Trentina will lead to a new season in which APOT (Associazione Produttori Ortofrutticoli Trentini) will trade both Melinda branded apples from the di Non and Sole valleys as well as Trentina branded ones from the Trento valleys.
According to the latest estimates, there will be almost 460 thousand tons available, 400 thousand of which from the di Non and Sole valleys, in line with the past few years (except for last year, when spring frost meant only a fourth of the average production could be harvested).
"Forecasts are positive and quality is good. The weather was our ally, as there was a lot of sunshine and rain at night. What is more, operators have carried out careful sorting and thinning operations," explains Paolo Gerevini, General Director of the Consortium.
The over 4,000 families part of Consorzio Melinda should therefore be able to harvest fruit in compliance with the high quality standards that characterise the apples with the blue sticker.