In the photo: Filadelfo Pappalardo.
"Fifty years later, in 2010, my wife and I inherited the grove. There are 1100 plants of the Naveline, Tarocco nucellare, Moro, Tarocco and Tarocco Gallo varieties."
The company is located in Villasmundo, south of Mount Etna, 13 km from Lentini. The particular climatic conditions of the area mean ripening is quicker, so the fruit is ready earlier than in other areas.
Right: Giuseppe
"We are currently implementing organic cultivation techniques and have applied to obtain the certification from the Consortium for the safeguard of PGI blood oranges from Sicily."
"We are very pleased, as 2017 started very well and our fruit was rather popular with nature and fresh fruit lovers."
It is now possible to adopt a Sicilian orange tree. You can follow the fruit through the budding, ripening and and harvesting stages.
This initiative is a way to educate people as well as to get out of traditional commercialisation channels, which do not even pay for production costs ("unfortunately, we are affected by the weakness of the Sicilian sector and by competition with Spain").
Adopters are periodically informed as regards cultivation and maintenance operations (fertilisation, irrigation, thinning, integrated control, harvesting) and can therefore monitor the various stages.
Adopting an orange tree also has an important ethical meaning, as it enables people to be sure about the quality and origin of the fruit and supports high-quality Italian agriculture for a healthy responsible diet.
All adopters receive a certificate of adoption with a photo of the tree at the moment of adoption.
"I sell most of my production to local traders, but some of it goes to northern Italy thanks to e-commerce. Our oranges are particularly appreciated in Valle d'Aosta."
"Prices are slightly higher than last year because there is less produce available. However I would like to stress that, despite the fact that traders had agreed on purchase prices in August, in most cases they have not honoured the agreement."
"Despite the general lack of produce, our area was not affected by snow or frost. Maybe there were a few drops due to the rain."
"I could have used specific anti-dropping products, but I didn't want to because we're currently implementing organic cultivation techniques and will obtain our certificate in two years' time."
Contacts:
Azienda Agricola Pappalardo
Via Sofocle, 1
96016 Lentini (SR) - Italy
Cell.: (+39) 329 7431515
Email: info@arancerossedilentini.it
Web: www.arancerossedilentini.it