Ikram tomatoes.
The weather was partly responsible for the delay: "it changed a lot this year so plants are stressed and blossoming is not easy also because there have been some problems with pollination, as bumblebees die because of the fluctuating temperatures." According to the manager, there will be a shortage of red bunch tomatoes for at least another 20 days. "The sales trend is good in general though, as quotations have not gone below €1/kg here in Sicily."
The main sales markets for Vike are Eastern Europe (Romania, Albania and Poland) and the domestic market, "although only 30% of the produce is sold there because Italy usually buys it from abroad." The average price is of €1.00-1.10/kg and "our main competitors are Spain, Morocco, the Netherlands and Turkey."
"The Western European market (Germany, France and Belgium) used to absorb much of our production but not any more and that is why Eastern Europe is our main buyer."
For further information:
Giuseppe Di Martino - sales manager
Cell.: (+39) 333 3165038
Vike soc. agr. Srl
C.da Palazzello, sn.
97019 Vittoria (RG)
Tel.: (+39) 0932 868585
Fax: (+39) 0932 511493
Email: info@vikesrl.191.it
Web: www.vikesrl.com