© OPuntia soc. coop. agr. "In recent weeks, there has been a sudden ripening of the fruits due to the high temperatures, which has slowed down marketing, thereby generating an excess of product on the market. We are hoping that the weather will be more in line with the period, but, above all, that the rain will come (expected on 24 September 2025) to mitigate the water stress to which the plants have been subjected for a long time," reports Antonio Lo Tauro, agronomist and president of the Sicilian Prickly Pear District.
OPuntia is a Producer Organisation specialised in the marketing of prickly pears obtained from 32 members, covering a cultivated area of over 320 hectares. The orchards are located at altitudes between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. The total production potential is estimated at around 5,000 tonnes, including both Agostani (not subjected to "scozzolatura") and Bastardoni (obtained from the "scozzolatura" of the first flower) fruits. The increased investment in cultivated areas in the San Cono area is directly related to the growing consumer interest in prickly pears, indicating an expanding demand for the sector.
© OPuntia soc. coop. agr.
"Over the years, promotional activities and research have made sure that consumers who are more attentive to the relationship between food and health could appreciate the goodness of a fruit that is good for health and of which nothing is to be thrown away, from the flowers to the cladodes. Customers increasingly appreciate this extraordinary fruit both for its tasty, crunchy, and firm flesh and for its excellent health qualities, thanks to its rich vitamin and mineral content."
© OPuntia soc. coop. agr. "Prickly pears are sustainable fruits that lend themselves to being processed across the board. That is why we are working on a project with the objective of developing new functional food formulations using the fruit provided by our member producers and transforming it into flour and more for the baking industry. The intention is to use the fruits not suitable for fresh marketing, transforming them into products with a high added value, such as seed oil, juice, and other by-products that retain important functional properties. The experimentation is structured over a time span of three years, during which bakery products containing powders and/or extracts from the different components of the fruit will be developed in particular."
"Also with a view to research and innovation, OP Opuntia has started a fruitful collaboration with the Di3A of the University of Catania on various research projects, and has already developed a functional drink made of prickly pear, lemon and carrot juice, plus it has started a project for the production of bakery products (sandwiches, snacks, crackers, etc.)."
As part of its promotional activities, the PO will be present in Madrid from Tuesday, 30 September 2025 to Thursday, 2 October 2025 with some companies part of the organisation.
"For us, Fruit Attraction is more than just a fair: it is a meeting with new and potential customers and also an opportunity to build new relationships, as well as to understand new market growth trends. We want to present our products up close, and there is no better way than to taste them during a live cooking session."
© OPuntia soc. coop. agr.
The San Cono area, together with the territories of Mazzarino, Piazza Armerina, and San Michele di Ganzaria, constitutes the main European pole for the specialised cultivation of prickly pears, with over 1700 hectares dedicated to this crop. OPuntia, the first Producer Organisation specialised in the cultivation ofOpuntia Ficus Indica, operates in this region.
For more information:
Francesco Grassenio 
OPuntia Producers' Organisation
Via Aldo Moro, 18
95040 San Cono (CT) - Italy
+39 333 114 4483
[email protected]