The Apulian cherry campaign started a few days ago, about a week later than last year. "We have officially opened the new season. The first cherries of the early variety Bigarreau have reached the fruit and vegetable markets and supermarket chains of Piedmont, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany already last weekend. The size of the fruit on the plants is medium-large (24-26 mm) and the volumes are growing steadily, thanks to the high temperatures of these days, which are making the product ripen faster than expected," said Ignazio Tateo, owner of Tateo Srl from Turi (Bari).
"The interest of Italian buyers is very high, with orders increasing day by day. We want to reassure everyone that the cherries are available and will be so for the next few weeks. Once the Bigarreau harvest is over, which will not end for another 20 days, we will start with the Giorgia variety, and then move on to the Ferrovia variety, which will last until the last ten days of June. The frosts have certainly reduced the volumes, but they have mainly affected the colder areas of the region. In the second part of the campaign, from the end of May onwards, we could have fewer quantities than those available in this period".
"At the moment, producer prices seem satisfactory (from € 4 to € 6 per kilo), and these quotations will tend to drop as early as the next few days, when the volumes will triple. The mission is to be able to manage sales prices in the long term and in the best possible way, trying to obtain a double advantage, that is to pay back farmers and to allow all consumers to buy cherries at prices that are not too high".
For more information:
Tateo Srl
SS dei Trulli
70010 Turi (BA)
(+39) 080 4514210
info@tateogroup.it
www.tateogroup.it