Favorable prices and low yields are marking this recent part of the strawberry season in Southern Italy. "Here in the Basilicata region, in about 40 days, the campaign will be over for many, referring to traditional cultivars like the Sabrosa-Candonga," says Maria Ferrara of the wholesale fruit and vegetable company Fe.Vi Frutta. "There's a high demand from all Italian markets, but we're recording a 50% decrease in yield compared to the same period in 2023."

"We are maintaining a good price," Ferrara adds. "For Candonga branded strawberries, for instance, we have never dropped below 3 euros/kg, even though we are in the peak of the harvest. While it's true that there have been anomalies since the time of transplanting for many varieties, on the commercial level, we can count on decidedly positive feedback."

Significant production peaks have thus never occurred, despite a rather mild weather pattern. Inspire and Sabrosa-Candonga are the two varieties that Fe.Vi Frutta is harvesting and marketing. The cultivation takes place in open fields and off-ground. The commitment is to guarantee constant supplies until the end of the season.

"We supply 50 wholesale markets daily, mainly located in Central-Northern Italy, such as Padua, Bologna, and Florence. We are scattering the quantity we ship: if last year we sent 256 packages per customer, now supplies do not exceed 96 units. We try to satisfy everyone, despite high transportation costs and reduced quantities. Generally, the weight reached at the moment for the type of fresh plant is estimated around 300 g. We do not foresee an extension of the campaign: the plants do not have many flowers. For the entire month of May, we expect production to be normal, so there will not be excessive quantities."

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com