Faenza, July 15, 2025 – A summer sunset, a peach orchard in full harvest and many operators, journalists and buyers gathered to celebrate the PGI peach and nectarine of Romagna. The “In campo c’è più gusto” event, held at the Nonni Farm in Faenza, was an extraordinary moment of encounter between innovation, tradition and Romagna conviviality.
It was an intense and participatory evening, which for the first time brought producers, sector operators, journalists, stakeholders and institutions directly under the peach trees for an immersive experience in the fruit-growing reality of Romagna. Welcoming the guests was Claudio Nonni, host and custodian of agricultural knowledge passed down through generations, but also open to innovation and the changing world.
Innovation was discussed during the guided tour of the experimental peach orchard. Ugo Palara, technical director of Agrintesa (a cooperative with which Claudio Nonni is associated), as well as president of New Plant, emphasized the strategic role of varietal innovation as a priority element for the continued development of the fruit sector. On behalf of New Plant, Nonni’s farm hosts several experimental varietal comparison fields on different stone fruits from which elements of judgment come out to propose new and viable production solutions to fruit growers. Also with Ugo Palara was Roberto Colombo, head of varietal experimentation in Agrintesa’s Technical Office; Colombo remarked the importance of following new varietal lines that are increasingly aligned with new market needs; this work has also resulted in peach and nectarine varieties that have over time updated PGI production specifications.
Following this, participants were able to learn more about the activities and strategies of the Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of the Peach and Nectarine of Romagna PGI, illustrated by the president Paolo Pari and the actions realized by the Consortium as part of the Promotional Project funded by the Emilia-Romagna Region’s Rural Development Plan 2023-27. “The value of our communication project,” explained Paolo Pari, “lies in the ability to enhance the producers and that territorial uniqueness that is inimitable. It is essential to continue with constancy to consolidate what we have done so far and strengthen our role as a reference for Italian peach farming; the Consortium is an example of cohesion between companies competing in the market, but united to promote the production of IGP peaches and nectarines of Romagna.”
The highlight of the evening was the lecture-performance by actor and comedian Paolo Cevoli, who with his unmistakable, typical verve, recounted the character of the fruit grower of these lands:
“The true agricultural entrepreneur from Romagna,” he said, smiling, “is a good fruit. With patience, determination, perseverance, stubbornness he reaches the point of ripeness and then there is none for anyone. Try to believe these freshly picked PGI nectarines!
The evening ended with a tasting of typical products between the orchard curated by the Amici del Peru Association, with set-ups by Luxonix Show Technologies and technical support from Lorenzo Eventi, in an atmosphere that combined conviviality, taste and strategic vision for the future of local peach farming, whose connection to the land and the people who work there is a unique and differentiating value.
Moderated by Alessandra Ravaioli, the evening event was also an opportunity to strengthen the dialogue between the Consortium, technical partners, institutions and the world of distribution, as part of a promotional campaign that, thanks to the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region, is getting excellent feedback even among younger consumers.
Quantity-wise, according to CSO Italy forecasts, the supply of peaches and nectarines for 2025 in Emilia-Romagna appears to be basically normal, slightly down from last year, due to some spring cold damage. The total harvest volume expected for this marketing year could be down about 10 percent from 2024. During the last campaign, nearly 2,900 tons of PGI product from about 1,050 certified hectares were marketed. Nationally, the supply of peaches and nectarines is not expected to deviate significantly from the volume harvested last season (about 880,000 tons destined for the fresh market). A decrease in European supply is expected due to lower volumes in other producing countries such as, Greece, Spain and France for a volume of about 2.5 million tons in 2025 almost -10% over 2024.
In recent years, the quantities of marketed product meeting the PGI production specification have returned to significant volumes.
Good response from the retail sector, which absorbed more than 80 percent of the volume of PGI product marketed in the last campaign.
The event demonstrated how the PGI peach and nectarine of Romagna is not just an agricultural product, but the heart of a culture, identity and vision shared by a Consortium that was founded in 2000 and now associates major fruit companies in Emilia Romagna: Agribologna, Apoconerpo with Alegra and Naturitalia, Apofruit, Granfrutta Zani, Orogel Fresco, AOP Italia, Consorzio Ortofrutticolo di Romagna, Zavoli, Tozzi Frutta.
