Italy and Spain are dominating the Verona wholesale market with winter second-flowering produce and "prices and sales are extremely normal," explains Andrea Saturnini, chairman of Fedagro
There are two types of Italian lemons - those with leaves from Campania, Amalfi coast and Salerno are sold at an average €1.50/kg, with peaks of €1.80 for the extra category. Classic, treated lemons from Sicily reach prices between €0.90-1/kg (extra category), just like the Spanish Verna ones.
All the other lemons - standard (the most popular), second grade and extra small - are sold at between €0.60-0.70 and €1/kg regardless of whether they are Italian or Spanish.
All the produce is of good quality, the Spanish one is just slightly better.
"Both the Italian and Spanish seasons will end between mid and late April (with a slight delay due to the weather), then it will be the turn of the produce from South Africa and South America - mainly Argentina and Uruguay - but we still do not know when the first exports will arrive."
Considering the delay of the domestic productions, there is the risk they will overlap with those from overseas, but growers "do not fear a drop in prices because of the huge imports there were six years ago, paid one month in advance, no longer exist. There will most probably be two different prices, a higher one for produce from overseas and another for our lemons. In addition, we are approaching the period when lemon consumption is on the rise."
Author: Andrea Minghelli
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