Carrots are one of the most common vegetables in the world. For decades, the farmers of San Vito in Polignano a Mare, in the province of Bari, have dedicated their lives to the sowing and harvesting of this root vegetable (which is very common in this area) with passion and sacrifice.
"We have been maintaining a centuries-old tradition, to preserve the customs of cultivation as well as the seeds which have been looked after for several generations by the local agricultural families at the farm of "La Colorata". Currently, we're still a small start-up company and we created an ad hoc brand in December 2017 to qualify our product, namely the "Viola di Polignano", grown on about 10 hectares," explains Stanislao "Stani" Frugis (in the picture below on the left), from the farm of "La Colorata."
"I strongly believe in this project, I am 44 years old and I have twenty years of experience in an import-export company. I can count on the collaboration of my father, from San Vito, who has supported me in cultivating this passion."
Currently, the purple carrot, aka "Viola di Polignano" is widespread and appreciated for its nutritional and organoleptic characteristics, suitable both for those who adopt a diet rich in fibers and for the lovers of good food.
"Purple carrots have a lower content of glucose, fructose and sucrose compared to the standard commercialized carrots (22%). Furthermore, there is a higher percentage of glucose and fructose than of sucrose. We have also noticed that our carrots feature many antioxidant properties and have a higher quantity of vitamin A, unlike the common carrots", states Stani.
"Every year, the seed used for the planting of the crop is produced by us. We search for the healthiest and most vigorous plants and select them on the basis of the colour of their roots. We select the best plants, we place them in small separate plots and we choose the seeds from the most flourishing ones", continues Stani.
This particular variety of carrots is planted between mid-August and the end of September, while the harvest lasts from the end of October to the end of April. The length of the roots varies from 15 to 25 cm and the diameter reaches up to 5 cm. "These carrots are not only exclusive and exceptional for their colour, but also for their texture and for their unique flavour, which differs according to the colour", says Stani.
"Our fields are located just a few meters away from the sea and therefore they are quite sandy, providing a high amount of salinity to the crops. The salinity level is further enhanced by means of irrigation with brackish water coming from wells that are in communication with the initial marine infiltration.
The most difficult and delicate phase of cultivation is the harvest, a manual job requiring the aid of a pitchfork. After harvesting, roots are quickly washed with the same brackish water used for irrigation, in order to remove the residues of soil, and then they are placed in wooden boxes to be marketed".
"During the campaign that ended at the end of April, we collected a daily average of 1.2 tons (about 200 packages), which were destined to the North Italian and French markets. We are very satisfied with the season that just ended, but we intend to further broaden our horizons. The impact with the consumer is not always so simple: the standard orange carrots which are sold on the markets are at 1.00 euro-1.20 euro / kg while our coloured versions can reach around 4.00 euro / kg ".
Generally, in terms of packaging, the company satisfies almost all the demands of its customers. "However, the smaller the pack, the higher the costs," says Stani.
Furthermore, in March 2018, a new package was introduced, designed for sale in the Italian large-scale retail trade (see picture above on the right): a 1 kg bag of coloured carrots. "This year we have carried out a sort of test in local supermarkets, but for the next campaign we aim at selling our product on a national scale to the whole Peninsula".
The purple carrot of Polignano can also be ordered and delivered directly at home, in a convenient 2.5 kg box. Stani concludes that, "With the start of the new campaign, by the end of October, the service will be available again via e-commerce".
In January 2018, the "Viola di Polignano" was included in the list of traditional "Slow Food" products as an example of a new model of agriculture, based on quality, on the recovery of knowledge and traditional production techniques.
Contact:
Stanislao Frugis
Mobile: +39 377 5503341
Azienda Agricola "La Colorata"
Via V.C. Basile, 108
70044 Polignano a Mare (Bari)
Email: info@lavioladipolignano.it
Website: www.lavioladipolignano.it
Azienda Agricola "La Colorata"
Via V.C. Basile, 108
70044 Polignano a Mare (Bari)
Email: info@lavioladipolignano.it
Website: www.lavioladipolignano.it