QUALITALY 140

June/July 2024 V MAGAZINE peach, nectarine, percoca, Verona peach, merendella peach, Venice white peach, Regina di Londa peach, peach in a bag, Iris rosso peach, buco incavato peach, Bivona peach, tabacchiera peach, Isontina peach and Montecorona peach. Each of these varieties has its own characteristics, certainly the most widespread and well- known are the yellow-fleshed peaches, white-fleshed peaches and nectarines. Percoca is mainly used in the food industry, those bearing the name of the city or area of production are in many cases ‘delicacies’ to be savoured. Others are being monitored because they are at risk of extinction, such as the red Iris peach, a name due to the red streaks on its skin. Original and unusual is the peach in the bag, a procedure that is done in Enna: each unripe fruit is placed in a single bag to await slow ripening. HARVEST DATA 2024 According to the latest estimates published a few months ago by Coldiretti, the 2024 peach and nectarine harvest in Italy will be around 970 thousand tonnes. A figure that shows an increase of 11% compared to the 2023 season and fairly stable or with a slight decrease compared to the 2018- 2022 average according to the forecasts presented at Medfel-Europech. A deficit due in 2023 to extreme weather conditions such as frost and flooding in Romagna. Figures that, on the whole, continue to fluctuate because they still have to take into account the climatic trends of the current 2024 season. The data from other European countries is also interesting. For example, France estimates a production of around 230,000 tonnes, 5% more than the previous year and 22% more when compared to the years 2018-2022. While, in Spain, a slight +1% is estimated compared to 2023 and 12% more than the average of the last five years. In total, Europe is heading for a peach and nectarine harvest of 3.4 million tonnes: an increase of +4% compared to 2023 and 7% more than the four-year period 2018-2022. ITALIAN PRODUCTION AND VOLUMES Although production reports a leap forward in volumes, the amount of land dedicated to the cultivation of this fruit is decreasing in Italy: in 2023 the drop was 4%, and in 2022 7%. The negative sign is much more evident in the North for peaches, while cultivation is stable for nectarines. Central and Southern Italy, on the other hand, shows a relatively stationary situation or with fairly limited decreases in area. That said, national production estimates (updated to July 2024) show an important +35% in the North of the country and +3% for the Centre-South, figures that are up on the previous year. It should be noted that in some areas of the country, the harvest is brought forward by about 10 days due to the weather: the most obvious consequence are the moderate fruit sizes and a satisfactory but not excessive price, as the market usually tends to pay more for larger sizes. THE VOICE OF THE CONSORTIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF ROMAGNA PGI PEACHES AND NECTARINES Paolo Pari , president of the Consorzio di Tutela Pesca e Nettarina di Romagna IGP (Consortium for the Protection of Romagna PGI Peaches and Nectarines), summarises the situation in one of the geographical areas most suited to the cultivation of these fruits. ‘Fortunately, 2024 is looking good. There were a couple of hailstorms that ruined some peach orchards but, overall, compared to last year’s problems, first and foremost the flood, the situation is favourable. Volumes are good even though the size of the fruit is not very large and this factor affects the market price. Overall, however, demand is coming in, so the harvest will continue with good success until the end of September with the later varieties. Of course, we always have to reckon with the great unknown, namely the weather’. The Consortium for Protection and Promotion comprises a certified area of just over 900 hectares. An excellence that embraces delimited areas of cultivation and production, including areas and some municipalities in the provinces of Ferrara, Bologna, Ravenna and Forlì-Cesena. “This year saw the start of a promotion project implemented as part of the Emilia-Romagna Region Development Plan that will continue until 2025. A valid communication support,’ continues Pari, ‘that goes hand in hand with the new varieties envisaged by the PGI Production Regulations renewed by the European Union in 2023’. THE QUALITY OF THE FRUIT IS THE VALUE OF THE LAND Overall, Emilia-Romagna’s annual production averages 200,000 tonnes, confirming its position as one of the top production regions with about 20% of the national total, surpassed only by Campania. This year, according to CSO Italy estimates, Emilia- Romagna will exceed 970,000 tons. “The market, in general, recognises our quality and immediately associates it with the long tradition of the region and its production history: about 70% of people associate the peach and nectarine with the PGI,” President Pari concludes. The task of the Consortium is also to ensure that this distinctive trait is further strengthened, so as to consolidate our leading role also at a European level by exploiting the high production value and making us competitive with other producing countries such as, for example, Spain. THE CANNING INDUSTRY If peaches, in their varieties, are the stars of summer tables, they remain one of the most processed and transformed fruits in the canning and agri-food sector, primarily for the production of juices, jams and products with syrup or alcohol. A long supply chain that starts from the ground up to modern processing and preservation techniques. Strict controls start at the peach orchards so as to assess the quality of the fruit; after the harvest, the peaches are washed and further sorted so as to eliminate any fruit that may have imperfections, rot and grading, depending on its final destination. This is followed by stone removal and peeling. Everything ends with a final quality control. Tradition and technological innovation allow the excellence of the product to be maintained, making peaches an essential element of the Italian canning industry. __________________________________ AT PAGE 22 DID YOU KNOW? Part cuisine, part bistro - is this the format of the future? RELAXED BUT FRIENDLY SERVICE, MEMORABLE AND TASTY DISHES, WITH A FOCUS OFTEN ON VEGETABLES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A TAKE-AWAY OR EATING ON SITE by Anna Muzio A new format is roaming the Milanese scene, and not just there. Too bad it’s not Paolo Pari , Presidente del Consorzio di Tutela Pesca e Nettarina di Romagna IGP