"This cherry season has been perfect so far: although production has not reached its full potential, quality is very high," This is just one of the thoughts that emerged yesterday 12 June during the Cherry Day organised by Alegra at the Agrintesa plant in Castelfranco Emilia (Modena) and a farm in the Vignola area.
The day started in the fields at the Ripa di Sotto company in Vignola (Modena), then the path of the fruit was followed along the Agrintesa plant.
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comStefano Grandi, Ripa di Sotto farm
"The campaign is going very well this year," said Stefano Grandi, owner of the farm, "thanks to the weather conditions. We cultivate 16 hectares of cherry orchards, and about 30% of them are covered by multi-purpose tarpaulins. In years heavily affected by the weather, such as 2024, the fact that crops were covered saved production."
Large grade, crunchiness, the right Brix level: Emilia Romagna cherries are much appreciated this year and reach high prices on all sales channels.
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comPier Giorgio Lenzarini president Alegra Group
Pier Giorgio Lenzarini, president of Alegra, explained that: "I am one of the 3800 members of the Agrintesa cooperative, and 70% of our group's cherries come from the Vignola area. We represent 50% of the PGI. Companies range from small to large, between 1 and 20 hectares of cherry orchards, totalling 400 hectares of cherry trees."
As for the market front, Lenzarini made things clear: "The generalist media often talk of speculation and too many steps, but with us, there is none of that. Producing cherries is expensive. It is necessary to let consumers know what the product costs. Cherries are the fruit with the most hours worked during the production cycle. There are costs, not price increases, and prices increase when the product is scarce, because the fixed costs have to be spread over a smaller number of kilograms."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comCristian Moretti, general manager of Agrintesa
"Cherries represent 5% of our members' orchards," said Cristian Moretti, general manager of Agrintesa, "but they are very important for our supply chain because they provide income for farmers. We have 431 hectares, 40% of which are covered by protection nets, and the estimate for 2025 is 2400 tonnes of product. Here in the factory, 300 people work on cherries alone in two shifts, but the workforce needed in the countryside for harvesting is even greater."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.com
"Our PGI is characterised by a strong development: it is an example that works, with a well-organised supply chain and considerable quantities. We harvest cherries so close to the point of ripeness that they cannot withstand several days of travel in order to be exported. Another characteristic element is their crunchiness, which is why they are called Duroni, typical of the area."
"Research has led to new varieties with large grades and a dark colour; the varieties with medium grades and bright red colour have lost importance to us. Since 2016, we have invested in optical sorters to qualify and differentiate production as much as possible. In this way, we have anticipated the problems of labour shortages."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comEnrico Bucchi, Manager of Valfrutta Fresco
Enrico Bucchi, General Manager of Valfrutta Fresco, explained that: "We are going through a particularly complex campaign. As far as we are concerned, our supply has not decreased much, also thanks to the investments made in recent years on the crop protection front. When it comes to the cherry sector, success comes from a team oriented towards taking care of details along the entire supply chain. Our products go from the plants to supermarket counters within 48 hours."
"Turkey, Greece, and Spain are our main competitors. A lack of produce is characterising other areas, including the south of Italy (losses hover between 70 and 100% in Puglia), while production has suffered less in northern Italy."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comCherry Vision sorting plant by Unitec
Nielsen research data were also presented: in 4 years, fruit and vegetable sales increased by 2.7% in value, while volumes dropped by 0.9%. Average consumer prices have increased due to inflation, while the quantities produced have decreased at the same time.
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comValfrutta Fresco snack cherries
"Are prices the problem?" - asked Bucchi - "No, now the issue is whether they meet the organoleptic expectations of consumers. Research on cherries shows only positive consumer judgements. They like them, they look forward to them, even though they are the fruit with the highest price increase in recent years (+5%). They are the favourite fruit of 33% of consumers, and are mostly consumed by families with an above-average income. Now the aim is to popularise their consumption as a snack, for example with a cup packaging solution that we are relaunching under the Valfrutta brand name."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.com
Valter Monari, director of Consorzio della Ciliegia di Vignola Igp, said that "We did export in the past decades, e.g., in the 1970s, but production was not constant. Then we started experimenting to make production more homogeneous. The consortium was set up in 1965, while the PGI mark is 15 years old. Vignola is now a brand, no longer just a production area."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comValter Monari, director of the Consorzio della Ciliegia di Vignola Igp
"In the 1980s, we drew up a specification to which not everyone complied, and we made exclusions. Then we made a further leap in quality with the PGI. In 1996, we applied the first covers against the rain. We finance an experimental field to obtain better and better-performing varieties. We look for varieties resistant to cracking because covers alone are not enough. A couple of selections seem to fit this need."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.com
"By using multifunctional nets, we have reduced treatments by over 70%. This weekend, branded cherries will be sold in more than 50 Italian squares in Lazio in collaboration with the Red Cross for a solidarity initiative."
For more information
Alegra
Via G Galilei 5,
48018 Faenza (RA) - Italy
+39 0546624401
www.alegrait.com
Coop Agrintesa
Via G. Galilei, 15
48018 Faenza (RA)
+39 0546.619111
[email protected]
www.agrintesa.it
