Faced with a sharp drop in production, farmers have been grappling with the jump in production costs and the severe drought which do not correspond to adequate sales prices, while there is the risk that the market will be invaded by foreign products of dubious quality. origin and quality, with food inflation slowing down consumption and families forced to cut purchases and logistics costs which come to affect around 1/3 of the total consumer prices for fruit and vegetables, generating price increases, often unjustifiable, with a huge difference – adds Coldiretti Puglia – between the cost of products in the countryside and those at retail. Speculations lurk in the various passages from the field to the table which must also be ferreted out by the Annona Police, which requires close vigilance on the origin of the fruit and vegetables on the stalls arriving from North African countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. Given the flaw in the organization of the distribution system, the direct sale of agricultural products on the farm is becoming increasingly widespread, an opportunity for both the producer and the consumer with a view to food safety and a transparent company-citizen relationship.
The principle of reciprocity must be guaranteed in trade agreements and from this perspective the EU Commission’s announcement that “the conditions are not met” for reaching a trade agreement with the Mercosur countries, the common market of South America, is positive. which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. A choice that follows Coldiretti’s complaint in Italy on unfair competition caused by the serious failures of many South American countries in terms of the sustainability of agri-food production with risks for the environment, food safety and the exploitation of child labor highlighted by the labor department itself American. Unfair imports must be stopped and the principle of reciprocity must be decisively introduced to ensure that all products entering the Union respect the same standards from an environmental, health and labor standards point of view provided for in the internal market.
Puglia is the largest producer of cherries in Italy, with its almost 32,000 tonnes – explains Coldiretti Puglia – 35% of Italian production and 62% of the invested surfaces equal to approximately 19,000 hectares of land and a turnover of approximately 22 million of Euro. The production of cherries is concentrated in the province of Bari which alone represents 96.4% of the regional production and 39% of the national total – adds Coldiretti Puglia – with its 47 thousand tonnes the province of Bari is the first Italian province for cherry production collecting 34% of national production.
The production of cherries is intended exclusively for fresh consumption and for this reason the sizes must be kept intact – Coldiretti Puglia insists – particularly consistent for the Ferrovia cherry, the compactness and the flavour, activities which require accuracy in the cultivation and processing phases. easily identifiable collection, so the human hand cannot be replaced by machines.
Cherries are one of the most loved and low-calorie fruits – adds Coldiretti Puglia – and contain vitamin A, vitamin C and group B vitamins. They are also a source not to be underestimated of mineral salts, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulfur. They also present important trace elements, with particular reference to copper, zinc, manganese and cobalt. Cherries contain natural melatonin, a substance that promotes sleep – concludes Coldiretti Puglia – and are a source of antioxidants, which help our body to counteract aging caused by free radicals.
It is necessary to rebuild a real supply chain that is able to enhance the product also through a territorial characterization of production – insists Coldiretti Puglia – with the creation of a brand that enhances the organoleptic characteristics of the cherry and the production capabilities of the operators in the sector, a brand like the PGI that can be recognized by the consumer, to make a traditional and typical crop of Puglia competitive.
