The Protected Designation of Origin "Cereza del Jerte", located in Cáceres, has started to certify the first cherries of the Navalinda variety, the only cherry with a peduncle in the Jerte Valley. This process marks the start of this season's marketing of top-quality cherries with a back label guaranteeing their quality.
The Regulatory Council is starting this new season with "a lot of hope and enthusiasm, especially after last year's disaster, in which most of the harvest was lost because of storms and constant rains," stated José Antonio Tierno, president of the council. Producers expect to achieve a higher volume and quality in this campaign than in the previous one. The results, however, depend on weather conditions.
This year's campaign started approximately eight to ten days earlier than usual and, so far, has not faced major weather setbacks. Despite the rains during Easter week, the sector expects 400 tons of Navalinda and 2,000 to 3,000 tons of Picota cherries.
The Navalinda cherry, the first variety to be certified, will precede the Jerte picotas, known for their sweetness and for naturally detaching from the peduncle during harvest. Picotas, which include varieties such as Pico Limón Negro, Pico Negro, Pico Colorado, and Ambrunés (the most produced variety), account for a high percentage of the total production. The Jerte Valley produces over a hundred varieties of cherries and picotas, but the PDO quality seal only certifies five.
Source: EFEagro / agrodiario.com