Italy: Good peaches deserve higher prices

"Retailers ask their suppliers for innovative varieties, state-of-the-art technology, traceability, residue analyses and the main certifications as well as continuous supplies - and rightly so. Lately, however, the prices of high-quality peaches and nectarines are not repaying us for all the effort," explains Mauro Fragasso, sole administrator of Royal Fruit.

The company grows peaches, nectarines, table grapes and artichokes using integrated control and good agricultural practice methods on approximately 150 hectares.

"The weather was good and San Ferdinando peaches have a very high quality with high sugar content and great colour. Nonetheless, prices are dropping - a punnet of peaches costs half what it did last week."

Competition from Spain is a problem, despite the fact that fruit has a lower quality. "Sometimes their prices are higher than ours abroad - a clear sign of how they have a better organisational capability."

"It costs €0.40-0.45 to produce and harvest one kg of peaches. If we consider that the market is currently paying only €0.25-0.30 per kg, we can see how it is difficult for producers to survive. Domestic and Community politics is pushing us to employ virtuous cultivation techniques and invest in quality but, if retailers only look for the lowest price, there is no escape for us."

"We would maybe need to establish a minimum guaranteed price above the production cost for those who grow healthy superior quality peaches."

Contacts
Royal Fruit srl
SP per Canosa km 0.700
76017 San Ferdinando di Puglia (BAT)
Tel.: (+39) 0883 671367 - 678254
Fax: (+39) 0883 621410
Email: info@royalfruitsrl.it
Web: www.royalfruitsrl.it

Author: Raffaella Quadretti
Copyright: www.freshplaza.it