In an optimum production year 25,000 tonnes of cherries will be grown in the Jerte Valley, which with 12,000 hectares of orchards, is the largest area devoted to the fruit in Europe.
The attributes of the Valley give growers the opportunity for a well-spaced harvest of the widest European range of cherries. The season begins with early Burlat, moves through mid-season Navalinda, Van and Summit, into late stalked Lapin and Sweetheart and then onto the region’s flagship variety, the incomparable Picota.
There are cherries - and then there are Picota cherries. The stalkless Picota has been a part of the Valle del Jerte furniture for centuries - an indigenous strain that has ingrained itself on an entire community’s culture. The first reference to cherries in the area was made in notes by one of King Pedro of Navarra’s emissaries in 1352. That it took a further 644 years for the first Picota to be exported perhaps illustrates the local pride in its heritage.
Picota was only introduced as an export crop eight years ago, but 55-60 per cent of the valley’s crop typically is Picota. Of that, 40 per cent is exported - the rest is sold on the strong domestic market - and half of the exports go to the UK.
Already its draw in the marketplace has become apparent. Consumer research carried out for Foods from Spain in the UK has revealed that the unique cherry is the only type in its category that has any recognition level to speak of on these shores.
Because of the intricacies of the cherry supply chain, from production to in-store handling, the fruit has been unofficially granted individual category status by UK buyers. It no longer sits alongside peaches, nectarines, apricots and the rest of its stone-fruit counterparts, as its particular demands necessitate specialist attention.
Picota fits perfectly into this new scenario. It is one line in a dying breed of products that are recognised for their short window and consistently high quality.
Grown in a sandy, acidic soil with an average PH of 5.5, the fruit benefits from a local microclimate that delivers significantly different temperatures to the rest of the Caceres region. Plasencia, on the outer edge of the valley has an average night-time temperature of 24°C during the latter stages of the production and picking period, but just 20 kilometres down the road, in the middle of the Picota orchards, that drops to an average of 14°C.
Picota requires 50 days to move from the flowering to picking stage, which compares with 30-40 days for cherries in general. More tree time gives the fruit a greater degree of maturity when harvested, one-by-one, by hand. The darker skin finish and higher sugar content add to the consistency of consumer experience that has gained the variety a place in the UK consumer psyche.
Around 50 per cent of the Picota trees in the Valle del Jerte are between five and 10 years old and after a huge expansion in volumes in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the industry is likely to experience another upsurge in the next 10 years.
The Picota crop is actually made up of four different varieties. The earliest, Ambrunés, represents 70 per cent of the overall volume, while Pico Negro (20 per cent) and Pico Limón Negro (five per cent) precede the final strain, Pico Colorado (five per cent) into the market.
Integrated production methods are almost universal, with the growers that are fully compliant recognised as such through the sharing out of returns from a central pool. The Regulatory Council has created a single protocol, in collaboration with Spanish body Aenor, which allows growers to comply with all international market standards in one process.
All 4,000-plus member-growers that work within the Regulatory Council’s remit are given an updated version of its protocols every year. Those farmers are supplying their fruit into the domestic and export markets through one of 14 co-operatives, each of which is a member of the Valle del Jerte Group of Co-operatives, which co-ordinates centrally the industry. In 25 years, the group has developed a level of specialisation, organisation and flexibility to rival any other single-product organisation in Europe.
Jerte cherries, predominantly Picota, have also benefited in recent years from Denomination of Origin certification, which recognises the unique attributes of the region, its co-operatives and their workforce and the fruit itself. The Denomination of Origin Regulatory Council (DORC) carries out inspections of the production process, sets the standards to be met by producers and packhouses and supervises the quality of cherries, batch by batch. Only cherries marketed with a numbered label issued by the Cereza del Jerte DORC have a full quality and origin guarantee.
Although introduced in the 14th century, cherry production in the Valley probably did not become fully established until the early 19th century. Since then, it has provided the region with a horticultural focal point and point of difference in the industry of which it can be justifiably proud.
While remaining the economic motor of the local sector, however, the inherently risky nature of cherry production has driven growers to plant larger quantities of plums, raspberries, almonds and olives, as well as smaller areas of other horticultural crops. Younger farmers are turning to alternative crops in an attempt to guarantee a return on their investments.
But they still produce cherries, which are an integral part of the Valley’s culture and will continue to be a major part of the long-term strategy for its community. To reduce risk of weather damage, producers are studying how best to protect cherry trees from the changing climate, particularly the early varieties. Picota, as a later variety, is less susceptible, but it can be affected. No-one in the valley is oblivious to the potential effects of climate change on their pride and joy if no action is taken.
Locals have no intention of allowing Picota to change as a variety and while there is a general consensus that the traditional production process should remain fundamentally similar, there is also recognition that a little tinkering here or there can actually safeguard its future and help to guarantee that customers receive a consistently high quality product year after year.
PRIDE OF THE VALLEY
• The Valle del Jerte has the largest concentration of cherries in Europe.
• There are over 40 different varieties: red, purple, and intermediate in hue, all succulent in appearance and delicious to taste. The renowned Picota, typical of the area, is among the best.
• As early as the 14th century chronicles mention cherries as being a distinctive local product. By the beginning of the 19th century the fame of Jerte cherries had spread widely. They were highly appreciated at Court, and became a symbol of pleasure at the best tables.
• The cherries from Jerte are on the market between the end of April and the beginning of August.
• The Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin only admits top quality cherries. After rigorous controls only the freshest are awarded a numbered guarantee.
WHAT THE CONSUMER WANTS
Customer focus groups carried out for Foods from Spain to understand consumer issues relating to the Picota cherries found that:
• Buying Picota is a relatively spontaneous decision, made in-store
•There is still an over-riding consumer preference for fruit in its natural season
•There is a strong association between summer and cherries
•Cherries are seen as a treat, an ideal healthy snack on the go and an informal dessert.
To take advantage of these findings, the Picota campaign aims to:
•Maximise impact at POS using promotions, shelf barkers and posters
•Emphasise seasonality in consumer messages, such as “coming soon”, “available now” or “only available...”
•Emphasise summer in consumer messages “a taste of summer”
•Promote the image of cherries as indulgence, snacks and dessert ingredients.
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