The situation concerning citrus fruits in some areas of the Taranto province is extremely critical due to the excessively high temperatures of recent days. The situation is made worse by a water crisis that has never been resolved and inadequate management of irrigation resources.
Apulian businessman Floriano Convertino of Convif in Massafra, with over 50 hectares of citrus groves, reports that plants are stressed, as they are in a very delicate phenological phase.
"Fruitlets are starting to drop. We only remember the water emergency when the intense heat arrives. An entire tree heritage is at risk here, the cornerstone of the local economy. In the province of Taranto, 8,500 hectares of citrus trees are estimated to be at risk, with a total production of up to 200,000 tonnes. Stressed plants are starting to lose their fruits, making the situation extremely critical already in early June."
In addition to the heat, there has been no rain for some time, and the tramontana winds have dried out the soil, even preventing normal mechanical operations from taking place.
The current situation is considered much worse than last year. Temperatures have suddenly risen from mild to scorching, reaching peaks of up to 40°C. "This condition, which is occurring at a crucial time for fruit setting, shows no signs of improvement for the next few days, with the expectation of a worsening heatwave in the production areas."
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Another highly critical element is the insufficient water supply from the Apulian reservoirs, but especially those in neighbouring Basilicata. "The situation is catastrophic. For the San Giuliano dam, which was created specifically for irrigation, restoration work after the collapse of a tunnel allowing water to pass through has just begun and is not expected to be completed until December 2025 at the earliest, i.e., the end of the citrus-growing season. The water from the Monte Cotugno dam, on the other hand, arrives with minimal and insufficient flow rates. We agricultural producers find ourselves managing irrigation with shifts every 20 days, having only 4-5 hours of supply available," the manager concludes.