Fruit cracking is causing serious problems in the cherry-growing areas of Puglia. Last week's continuous rainfall, including thunderstorms, lasted over 48 hours, thereby reducing the harvest in a year when yields were already limited.
© Donato Fanelli"We are working at a third of our capacity, with 10 pallets shipped daily," says Donato Fanelli, owner of Viva Frutta, based in Rutigliano. "We believe the season will end by the beginning of June, two weeks ahead of schedule. Huge investments have been made in grading machinery, which, however, cannot be fully exploited this year. It's like having a Ferrari in the garage and no fuel. Very little produce is coming in from the countryside, resulting in a 30% drop in sales compared to the same period in 2024. This year, it costs €3.50/kg to harvest a kilo of cherries, compared to €1.5-2 last season. These costs have a significant impact."
Prices are around €7.50/8 per kilo, and can reach €10 per kilo for the Ferrovia variety. "On top of the purchase price, you have to add about another €2 for processing, packaging, and transport. A physiological drop in prices was taken for granted and expected in the past, but it is unlikely to happen this year. Prices will not fall in the coming days, but will remain stable," Fanelli points out.
"With low supply and high prices, chains that had this item on special offer are finding it very difficult to cope with the current market situation. And while it was possible to turn to other countries in previous years, this year Spain, Greece, and Turkey are in a situation that is perhaps worse than ours." (In the photo above, cherries harvested from covered cherry orchards)
© Donato Fanelli
Fanelli is only selling cherries on the domestic market. "The fruit, which is already delicate in itself, cannot be shipped too far away. Greater collaboration is needed in the supply chain between producers and traders, so that investments can be made both in covering structures and in a shift towards more resistant and high-performing cultivars. Protected facilities in Puglia account for less than 3% of the total area. For this reason, together with other local entrepreneurs and a group of technicians, we are launching a project called Cherry Revolution."
The drop in volumes is not only attributable to heavy rainfall. "There was already a critical shortage due to two phenomena: the severe drought of 2024 and the high temperatures that reached nearly 50°C last summer. The frost between the end of March and the beginning of April did the rest, particularly for the Duroni and Ferrovia cultivars. This combination of weather events led to a drop in yields exceeding 40%, and ranging between 20 and 30% for medium-late varieties."
For more information:
Donato Fanelli - sales manager
+39 388 4783509
Viva Frutta
70014 Conversano (Bari) - Italy
+39
[email protected]
www.marchiatofresco.it
