The 2026 campaign, due to end on 20 September, has benefited from a recovery in stone fruit production in both Italy and Europe.
Italian output of peaches, nectarines and clingstone peaches is estimated at around 926,000 tonnes, with Northern Italy approaching 280,000 tonnes.
In Emilia-Romagna, production reached approximately 172,000 tonnes of peaches and nectarines, including 121,000 tonnes of nectarines. Compared with 2025, nectarine volumes increased by 15%, while fresh-market peach production rose by 12%, according to CSO Italy.
Consumption returns to growth
One of the strongest signals of the season has come from the market. After several years of declining consumption, summer 2026 brought a noticeable improvement.
Coop Alleanza 3.0 reported an increase of almost 20% in peach and nectarine sales by volume compared with the same period last year.
Pietro Terlingo of Coop Alleanza 3.0 described the campaign as positive in terms of both quality and availability. However, larger production volumes also put pressure on prices, meaning that sales value declined slightly despite higher volumes.
The retailer is also continuing a programme aimed at raising quality standards for peaches by offering fruit harvested at the correct stage of ripeness and ready to eat.
Alì also reported positive results. Giuliano Canella, Vice President of the retailer, highlighted the combination of an exceptionally hot summer and good-quality Romagna PGI fruit as important factors behind the performance.
Origin as a source of value
For the Consortium, certified origin remains one of the main tools for differentiating the product from standard peaches and nectarines.
Around 70% of consumers associate the product with PGI certification, providing a strong platform for building recognition and added value.
“The 2026 season has given us several signals that we consider extremely important: good production volumes, high quality and, above all, consumption returning to growth,” said Paolo Pari, President of the Consortium for the Protection of Peaches and Nectarines of Romagna PGI.
Pari stressed that the next challenge will be to convert stronger consumption into value throughout the supply chain, starting with growers.
The Consortium currently represents more than 1,100 hectares of certified production and around 500 farms across Ferrara, Bologna, Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini.
Positive feedback from producers and retailers
Operators across the production chain also reported a solid campaign.
Enrico Bucchi of Alegra highlighted the role of the PGI in strengthening product positioning and differentiation at the point of sale, while Mirco Zanelli of Apofruit reported that the company doubled its marketed volume during the season.
Zanelli also pointed to cooperation with retailers and co-branding initiatives as important drivers of this growth.
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Andrea Bini of AOP Italia noted further consolidation within large-scale retail, with supermarkets providing strong visibility and adequate display space for the product.
Antonio Zani of Granfrutta Zani described the campaign as demanding, but welcomed the return to satisfactory production volumes after several difficult seasons.
Germany remains a strategic market
The 2026 results continue a recovery already visible in previous campaigns. In 2024, sales increased by 21%, while 2025 delivered positive performances in both Italy and Germany.
Germany remains particularly important. It is Europe’s largest import market for peaches and nectarines and the main foreign destination for Italian fresh fruit and vegetables.
In 2025, German imports of Italian fruit and vegetables increased by 12.8% year on year.
Preparing for the 2027 season
The Consortium is already looking towards the next campaign, with priorities including varietal renewal, fruit quality, certified origin and communication aimed at both consumers and trade professionals.
In 2026, it launched the two-year project “Peaches and Nectarines of Romagna PGI: Summer Tastes Better”, which will use social media, content creators, national radio and activities aimed at buyers, stakeholders and the media to strengthen the product ahead of the 2027 season.
For Pari, the longer-term objective is to return peaches and nectarines to the centre of the Italian summer experience, not only as healthy fruit but also as contemporary products capable of conveying lifestyle, quality and a strong connection with their territory.
