Cherries, Melinda and Vip accelerate 'late mountain' production
Synergies between the two cooperatives in Trentino Alto Adige to expand a growing niche, also due to the crisis of the other types
Trentino cherries against the production crisis. The agreement signed by Consorzio Melinda and Vip Associazione delle Cooperative Ortofrutticole della Val Venosta goes in this direction. Mountain cherries represent a niche of excellence: they are, together with apples (of which Italy is the world leader for exports), one of the flagships of the Val di Non, with a production of about 2,500 tonnes in the last campaign and a potential that is still expanding. Although still young, the Trentino cerasic system is proving to be solid, dynamic and eager to intercept a growing demand.
The unprecedented collapse in production (up to 70%) last season in Apulia due to late frosts and the consequent price increase (up to 23 euro/kg), has transformed the cherry into a luxury fruit and put producers in crisis, overtaken by foreign imports (Greece, Spain). Even the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has spoken of an unprecedented transformation phase for the sector globally, predicting a drop in production of more than 10% for the 2025-2026 season, leading to 4.6 million tonnes of final volumes worldwide. This is the first worldwide drop in the last six years and stems from production losses in Turkey, Europe and the US. China is confirmed as the world's leading producer with 900 thousand tonnes (but domestic demand continues to grow faster than supply), while Chile is on its way to a record production of 730 thousand and is a natural compensator for the Turkish crisis. Italy produces on average around 100-110 thousand tonnes.
So-called 'late' cherries (they ripen after the Apulian and Vignola cherries) represent a significant component of the product basket offered by both Melinda - a second-level consortium that brings together 16 co-operatives and 4,000 conferring members - and Vip, 7 co-operatives and 1,500 farmers engaged in the cultivation of various fruit species, on a total area of 5,500 hectares in Val Venosta.
The agreement, operative from 2026, commits the parties in the valorisation of the fruit from the field to the shelf, through the respect of high and shared quality parameters up to the marketing, entrusted to Melinda. In this way, it will be possible to jointly manage larger volumes; a total of about 3,500 tonnes, which will be released under the Consorzio Melinda brand, mountain cherries.
"Pooling skills and professionalism means acting with the aim of defending and increasing the remuneration of members," comments Ernesto Seppi, president of Consorzio Melinda. "Collaboration between cooperators proves to be an essential tool for facing common production and market challenges," says the president of Vip, Thomas Oberhofer
