Group photo (click here to enlarge).
In 2014, France produced 17 thousand tons, Italy 33 thousand and Spain 173 thousand.
The good news was that Spain finished its stocks at the end of the 2014 campaign, whereas during the previous year it still had produce in the cold storage units.
Cultivated areas are expected to drop by 8% in 2015, possibly leading to an increase in prices of around €0.30-0.50/kg.
Unfortunately, due to the current prices, producers are loosing profits. That is why the French ministry started mediating between producers and retailers. The French would like Italy and Spain to do the same.
European Mark
During one of the previous meetings, Francesco Delfanti suggested the creation of a European mark to safeguard and make the European product stand out from the extra-EU one.
Always as regards the protection against imported produce, Palmieri and Delfanti explained how the Inter-branch Garlic Organisation is assessing the possibility of activating policies to promote the Italian produce through financing, marketing and educational operations and public relations. The objective would be to increase the consumption of domestic garlic against imports from Third Countries.
Author: Rossella Gigli
Copyright: www.freshplaza.it