Cherries, a chiaroscuro season in the Padua area: data from Cia Padova

In recent months, cherry production in the Province of Padua has experienced serious difficulties due to extreme weather conditions, confirming the trend that has started at regional level. The persistent spring rains, reported with over 50% of fruit cracked in the early varieties in the Euganean Hills and the rest of Veneto, have significantly damaged the cherry orchards of Padua.

Among the critical issues recorded are the record rainfall: 52 millimeters fell in two days on the Euganean Hills alone, with further instability. Estimated losses are 50% on early crops, with alarm extended to the late band in the absence of weather improvement. The regional cultivated surface area is 1,700 hectares on a Veneto scale, of which 1,300 hectares in the province of Verona and the remainder between Padua and Venice. Local production is also at risk: although not yet officially quantified, estimates indicate a negative trend in line with the regional trend.

The high humidity has created ideal conditions for the proliferation of parasites such as Drosophila suzukii (Asiatic fruit fly), which lays its eggs in the cracks of the cracked fruit. Active monitoring has detected a medium to high level of infestation in the northern area of ​​Italy, including Veneto, and the Asian bug, with early damage recorded as early as May, favored by a mild winter.

"The cherry is a very fragile crop, exposed to increasingly intense climate changes", says provincial councilor Vincenzo Gottardo. "The Province of Padua is alongside fruit growers, to react with concrete tools: monitoring, regulatory simplification, incentives for varietal diversification and support for phytosanitary defense". The prospects for the future are: continuation of phytosanitary monitoring for flies and bugs, also with the support of organizations such as Veneto Agricoltura and Consorzi Phytosanitari; support for varietal diversification to mitigate climate and phytopathological risks; study of innovative protective techniques (covers, rain nets, etc.), already tested in other European areas; constant dialogue with trade associations to define economic compensation measures and support for businesses.