Italy: Sicily table grape season gets underway
As Sammy Fisicaro, marketing manager at Colleroni, explains: “The harvest started at the beginning of June 2012 and it will go on up to 15th-20th July. Grapes are cultivated under cover, that is a protected environment where the microclimate speeds up the growth of grapes. Under cover grapes, being more shielded, require less phytosanitary treatments, so they are almost zero residue.”
Thanks to improved agronomic techniques, producers of this area can get excellent table grapes about 50 days ahead of normal. In this way, Sicilian grapes can efficaciously take the place of those coming from the southern hemisphere.
Colleroni run a 40-hectare vineyard for a whole production of 100 tons.
“Our grapes are really appreciated all over Europe”, Sammy goes on. “The main customer countries apart from Italy are Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France. This year, in particular, there has been much more interest in these seedless grapes because the quality of North Africa grapes was not so high. Plus, there were logistical problems due to the difficult economic and social situation led by the so-called 'Arab Spring'. In Sicily, on the contrary, thanks to the good weather conditions during the spring season, products are excellent both for their size and taste.”
Grapes are packed immediately after the harvest in the field, in order to prevent the delicate fruit from being handled too much. Expert staff cut grapes from vine-stocks and pack them.
Colleroni thinks it will be a good marketing season and as Mimmo Fisicaro, logistics manager, adds: “The experience teaches us that if a product’s quality is high, customers will appreciate it and buy it.”
Contact:
Sammy Fisicaro - Marketing manager
Mimmo Fisicaro - Logistics manager
Colleroni snc
Head Office
Via Taranto,1
Pedagaggi (SR)
Phone: +39 (0)95 995515
Fax: +39 (0)95 8880504
Email: info@colleroni.it
Web: www.colleroni.it