The long-awaited 2024 Apulian cerasicola campaign opens with good news: more than a week earlier than expected, promising a good quality product. According to Confagricoltura Puglia estimates, this early start offers a precious opportunity for cherry producers, with the Bigarreau variety ready for harvest by the end of the week and therefore with an early arrival forecast on national and international markets.
“The fruits have a uniform color and a good consistency”, states the president of Confagricoltura Puglia Luca Lazzàro, underlining the optimism for the opening season: “The harsh climate of the last few days does not seem to have had a negative impact on production, giving a glimpse of a promising year for the region’s cherry trees”.
The Bari area hosts 40% of national cherry production and 96% of regional production, confirming its key role in the local agricultural economy.
“International markets are demanding and require high quality products, with specific characteristics such as generous size, homogeneous color and excellent organoleptic properties. It is essential to focus increasingly on quality to guarantee commercial success and repay the investments of agricultural entrepreneurs”, continues the president of Confagricoltura Puglia. “Maintaining high standards is not easy, but the return is substantial: markets are willing to pay the right price to have access to excellent products coming from our land”
Exports to Germany grew by 16.0% (+34 million euros), confirming Puglia’s primacy as the main supplier for the German market. Even in other European markets, such as Poland, France, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain, exports have recorded significant increases, fueling optimism for the future of the sector.
International interest in Apulian fruit and vegetables is therefore constantly growing, as demonstrated by the 2023 results highlighted by Unioncamere. With exports of 623 million euros in the first three quarters, the region confirms itself as a leading player on global markets, ranking third in Italy behind Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.
