Italy: Future prospects for tropical fruit

CREA-OFA in Acireale have organised a seminar to discuss the future prospects for tropical and subtropical fruit in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Environment of the University of Catania and Acireale's Lions Club.

Standing: Paolo Rapisarda, Director of CREA - OFA

"We focus mainly on citrus production, but feel it's important to provide new stimuli and supply answers to those interested in investing in tropical fruit," explained Paolo Rapisarda, CREA director.

Left: Salvatore Luciano Cosentino, director of UniCT's Di3A

"The importance we've given to this sector is testified to by the launch of the degree course on Tropical and subtropical agricultural sciences, even though we've had to close it down," added Luciano Cosentino, director of Di3A at UniCT.

Alfredo Borzì

Alfredo Borzì, President of Acireale's Lions club, stressed how Eastern Sicily has always been a territory suitable for agriculture. "It's possible to grow a large number of non-local fruits starting with avocados, mangoes, papayas, litchis etc. Maybe it wasn't a great idea to shift the economy focus on tourism, we should have insisted on good agriculture."

UniCT professor Stefano La Malfa talked about the evolution of fruit cultivation in the south.

Stefano La Malfa, professor at UniCT

What do you mean when you say tropical and subtropical fruit?
"We don't say exotic fruit in general because it does not provide information as regards geographic origin or the climate. We refer to fruit specifying whether it comes from the tropical or subtropical region. This in turn means it has low resistance to low temperatures and does not develop below 10°C."

"There is a difference between tropical and subtropical cultivars and it depends on the temperature of the area where they grow. Sicily is suitable mainly for mangoes, avocados and macadamia nuts, the demand for which is growing."

La Malfa also talked about a SWOT analysis which compared Sicily to the south of Spain. "Some micro-areas are even more special thanks to their climatic conditions and water availability."

The European market is interested mostly in 'ready-to-eat' and organic products, which create opportunities for the region. Unfortunately, logistics and the organisational structure represent two weaknesses.

UniCT Alberto Continella talked about the perspectives for mangoes and avocados in Sicily.

Above: Alberto Continella, professor at UniCT

"Among the reasons that may lead to operators cultivating tropical fruit, there is the increasing demand, on an international level, for these products. Istat also detected this trend, so much so that it entered mangoes and avocados in its 2018 analysis. Over the past 10 years, imports to Europe of these products increased by 150%."

"The leading mango and avocado producers are located in central and southern America and they cannot meet the increasing demand from the European and US market. The European production in 2017 was 65,000 tons against the 486,000 commercialised. This means that not even 15% of the fruit eaten comes from Europe. The leading producers remain Peru and Chile. Spanish prices hovered around €0.75/1 and €2.50/3 between September and June for avocados, while those of mangoes hovered around €1.25 or €2 per kg."

A picture of Francesco Russo in the slide

Continella also talked about the technical know-how already available in Sicily, considering avocados were introduced already in 1957 by Francesco Russo.

Andrea Passanisi from Sicilia Avocado talked about his own experience in the video-interview below.

Video-interview with Andrea Passanisi

Avocados in Italy: 260 hectares, 200 of which are in Sicily

Giovanni Continella, Professor of General tree cultivation, retraced the history of avocado cultivation in Sicily.

Giovanni Continella holding the Tropical Fruit Yearbook 2018, distributed at Macfrut in Rimini

"The importance of subtropical and tropical fruit in Italy is proven by the event specifically dedicated to it organised during Macfrut 2018."