The cherry harvesting season in the Jerte Valley, in the province of Cáceres, is entering its final stretch with an estimated production of 7 million kilos of certified cherries and 3 million picotas covered by the protected designation of origin (PDO). There were no rains or other adverse weather phenomena this season, which allowed the sector to meet its expectations.
It was a better season than the ones before, stated José Antonio Tierno, the president of the Cereza del Jerte PDO Regulatory Council and leader of the Valle del Jerte Cooperative Association. "We were looking forward to a normal season," he added. The heat accelerated the ripening of some varieties, but the absence of rain favored the development of the harvest.
The harvest continues in the highest areas of the mountains and should be completed in 10 to 15 days. "We probably stayed in the low end of the kilogram forecast, but the season developed normally, and that's saying something," said Tierno. Rain is one of the factors that usually causes the most damage to this crop, he added.
The picotas and the Lapins variety (which has been incorporated into the PDO) are being harvested in this final phase of the season. This cherry is not native to the area, but it's been cultivated here for more than four decades and has acquired considerable relevance, Tierno stated.
During an institutional visit to the facilities of the Association of Cooperatives in Valdastillas, the president of the Assembly of Extremadura, Blanca Martín, and the president of the Diputación de Cáceres, Miguel Ángel Morales, expressed their support for the sector and highlighted the economic and social importance of cherry cultivation for rural areas.
Martín recalled that the plenary session of the Assembly had recently ratified a decree-law on exceptional aid for farms affected by natural phenomena, which will be processed as a draft law by way of urgency. "I hope there will be consensus," he said, referring to the political backing required by the region's primary sector.
Source: democrata.es
