Fruit and vegetables

Apricots, peaches and melons: production down, prices soaring

First end-of-summer balance for fruit from the sector's cooperatives. The countertrend case of Melone Mantovano Igp

29 September 2025

3' min read

The summer has just ended and the first sums are being drawn. For the summer stone fruits, the balance is positive in terms of market response, with good prices in the face of lower product availability," explains Cristian Moretti, general manager of Agrintesa, the main cooperative in the sector, with 3900 members and a production value of 400 million Euros. "We produced about 58 thousand tonnes of stone fruits, a volume that is lower than potential but still higher than recent years marked by strong contractions. Moretti also rattles off figures: cherries stopped at 80% of their production potential, peaches and nectarines fell by 10% in Emilia-Romagna and 20% in Calabria, while for apricots and plums the drop in yields was 30% in the north and 20% in the south. Things did not go any better for our main European competitors, such as Spain and Greece, which experienced a similar situation to that of Italy, so much so that production in the EU remained below potential, especially for peaches, nectarines and peaches, which fell by 7% in volume, Ismea/Europeach estimate.

The vagaries of the weather, with waves of intense heat first and heavy rain later, combined with the limits on the use of plant protection products imposed by the EU, have also affected the campaign of another typically summery product, the melon, which represents 5.6% of national fruit consumption and is purchased by 80% of families (source: YouGov). "Until mid-July we were registering a double-digit increase, but then the arrival of bad weather hit production in the field and depressed demand, so the 2025 balance will remain positive by only a few percentage points," says Andrea Benelli, managing director of Agricola Don Camillo, the organisation that brings together more than 60 farms and that generates 55% of its turnover with melons (more than 80 million euro expected in 2025). In order to develop and extend consumption, Agricola Don Camillo has focused on varietal innovation and brand policy, arriving today at the production of six types of branded melons, two of which (Dino and Limelon) are exclusive to the country and are expected to continue growing (+15% in 2025).

Innovation has also affected typical productions, such as the Melone Mantovano Igp, which has undergone a demanding renewal of varieties, which have multiplied and in some cases even cover only one production week.

In a decade, PGI production has risen from 500 to 11,700 tonnes and this year it will rise to over 12 thousand. But the Consortium's goal is to reach 15 thousand tonnes thanks to the expansion of the production area, which should be officially approved by the end of the year. "Being able to guarantee production and ensure the quality required by the PGI specification is a great result for us,' explains president Mauro Aguzzi. 'The large-scale retail trade recognises our excellence with a higher price than the standard product, even if it is not always enough to cover that 20-30% additional cost required by the PGI.

The lower profitability of producers is insisted upon by the agricultural associations, which identify the causes as the reduction in volumes per hectare and the increase in orchard management costs (e.g. for emergency irrigation), which, according to Fruitimprese Emilia-Romagna, account for about 68% of the total and have increased by 11% compared to the average of the last three years. The situation is more complicated for small companies, while large groups are already moving in this direction. "The scenario makes us cautious and urges us to continue investing in active defence and varietal renewal in order to guarantee continuity and sustainability to our supply chains," Moretti emphasises.

If producers have had to deal with climate change, consumers have had to reckon with rising prices, with peaks of +40% for apricots and +15% for nectarines, notes Ismea. The record is for cherries which, thanks also to excellent quality and a shortage of product, have doubled in price, reaching as much as 20 euro/kg for those from Vignola Igp. But there are products for which the consumer is still willing to spend more. Like ready-to-eat fresh fruit, i.e. already cleaned, cut and packaged, which is purchased by 46.3% of families, reveals a study conducted by AstraRicerche for Unione Italiana Food. A phenomenon that tells of a change in the approach to fresh fruit. Italians are looking for greater convenience and prefer ready-to-eat fruit because it is more suitable for consumption outside the home (40% of buyers) and because it is waste-free (30%). A business to be developed and attracting increasing investment, such as that of Agricola Don Camillo, which in June inaugurated a 10,000 square metre plant dedicated to the cutting and packaging of melons and watermelons, for which it wants to become the fourth range specialist.