Staff working for fresh produce export companies in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna have returned to work today to assess the full extent of the damage done by the earthquake that struck the country's fruit-producing heartland early Sunday morning.

The region, a major source of fresh fruit and vegetables including stonefruit for several international markets, shook violently when a 6.0-magnitude quake hit the region at 04:04, causing extensive damage particularly to some of its oldest and most treasured buildings.

Mario Monti, the Italian prime minister, visited Emilia Romagna on Tuesday and confirmed a state of emergency would be declared, although it remained unclear if that would give the region access to support funds to aid the rebuilding effort.

Sources in the fresh produce trade suggested that much of the work to repair packhouses and other facilities, as well as other buildings and infrastructure affected by the tremor, would have to be funded from corporate and private contributions.

Based in the south of Ferrara, fresh produce marketing and research agency Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli was one of the companies closest to the earthquake's epicentre in nearby Finale Emilia.

'Everything is fine, although yesterday we had to close CSO to check the building,' the group's marketing and communications manager Alessandra Ravaioli told Eurofruit.

For fruit and vegetables, Ravaioli continued, the most significant damage appeared to have been mainly to packhouses, which in some cases fell down – as reported yesterday at Italfrutta – or in others suffered structural damage.

'There are certainly no problems for this year's export or production, only for the area's stability and compensation for the damage, which won't be supported by the government but instead will have to be paid by companies and private individuals,' she said.

Marco Salvi, president of Italian fresh produce export association FruitImprese and head of Salvi Unacoa, one of the country's leading exporters, conveyed the sense of relief felt by most in the industry that the damage done to the fruit and vegetable trade had been limited.

'Fortunately we are all fine, but it was very scary. Our buildings have not sustained any damage, but in Ferrara and some of the provincial towns there are a lot of problems to be found above all with historic buildings, monuments and churches. Hopefully it's all over.'

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