"Many things have happened this year: thousands of hectares have started producing, with abundant setting leading to overproduction in many areas and not always with an ideal organoleptic quality. Prices reflect all this."

This is what a Romagna operator reported about the first few weeks of commercialisation, characterised by prices well below expectations even though, up until last year, apricots were considered to be among the most profitable products.

"Thousands of hectares have been planted and at least 70% started producing this year. I believe most varieties do not meet consumer expectations, as often even red fruits are acidic. In Italy, we tend to test new varieties too little, they enter the market too soon, without panel tests."

Another operator reported that "the fruit supplied complied with all standards and minimum quality conditions." We believe the quality supplied by producers does not match what consumers want and it will be increasingly difficult to fill this gap.

"We must not flood general markets and, at the same time, supermarkets must adopt fair prices when there is a lot of produce available. In years like this, the only solution is to increase the sales and, if prices remain unvaried, consumers will not purchase more. Producers are not covering costs and retailers could do more to support them."

Things have not started well for peaches and nectarines either. In some areas, like for example in Romagna, organoleptic quality is not very good and grades are small.