Sicilian producer organisation Platinum was established in 2009 to verify the state of the structures and provide advice on production and sales. Companies part of the PO, cover in total over 90 hectares of protected crops.
Chairman and sales manager Giovanni Astuto (in the photo below) has twenty years experience in the industry. "Our PO can supply high-quality integrated control products in various types of packaging. Most of our produce is grown using the soilless cultivating technique. Perlite Italiana is one of our partners and we use perlite/coconut fibre substrates. Only aubergines, peppers and grapes are cultivated in the traditional manner."
The Vicotria table grape campaign has just started. "We started one week ago - there is a 15 day delay due to weather problems. We mainly export the produce to Germany, Poland and Czech Republic because we feel Italy's market is saturated."
As regards vegetables, the season should be good for tomatoes but rather bad for aubergines. "Quality is not good as there are mould problems. Shelf-life was unsuitable and of course this affected sales."
Competition for cherry and plum tomatoes comes from Morocco, whereas for bunch tomatoes it comes from Spain, "a country which also gives us a hard time in the aubergine sector."
The company's products are available in various domestic (Milan, Turin, Bologna, Udine, Rome, etc.) and foreign (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic) markets. "We supply retailers such as Metro, Coop, Conad and Lidl."
Products are available in 250g, 500g and 1kg punnets as well as 30x40 and 30x50 crates. In addition, QR codes have been introduced on new processing lines.
Contcts:
Giovanni Astuto - chairman and sales manager
O.P. Platinum società cooperativa
Via Pozzo Bollente 38
97019 Vittoria (RG)
Tel.: (+39) 0932 510202
Fax: (+39) 0932 511911
Email: coopagrplatinum@alice.it
Web: www.opplatinum.it
Author: Maria Luigia Brusco
Copyright: www.freshplaza.it