The harvest of Gilda, the nectarine variety offered by OP Granfrutta Zani, has begun. A distinctive fruit characterized by a deep red skin and white flesh with red veins radiating towards the stone.
"We started introducing it last year," says Antonio Zani, of the Italy sales office, "and this year we will offer it on sale with more continuity. Gilda is a white-fleshed nectarine with red veins, and the further we go into the harvest, the more the red becomes dominant and the flesh stands out. The caliber is medium. This year there is a predominance of A and also a certain percentage of AA, allowing us to meet the demands of a high-end Italian market."
"What sets Gilda apart is the typical flavor that resembles that of fruits of the past, with high aromaticity." Gilda-branded nectarines have a high °Brix and a balanced acidity to sugars. "Sales are for both domestic and foreign markets. We can estimate 50 percent for each of the two destinations. These are patented nectarines that only belong to our PO, with crops grown in the territory of the province of Ravenna. At the moment, there are just over a dozen hectares in production, with the hope of increasing them in a few years."
Cultivation must follow precise steps, with particular attention to the thinning phase. Thanks to hail nets and de-icing fans, production was not damaged by the weather calamities.
Harvesting will probably go on until the end of September. At the moment, there are three types of packaging available: 4-fruit tray of 500 grams, 4-fruit tray of 600 grams, and 4-fruit tray of 750 grams.
Antonio Zani
Regarding the sales trend of peaches and nectarines, Zani says that "we thought it was going to be more positive, instead prices have not been amazing (at least until 10 August, ed.). In Emilia Romagna, about 50 percent of the production is missing, due to exceptional weather trends such as frost, flood, hail. Competitors are competing with very aggressive prices. We are trying to be competitive, but succeeding only partially," he concluded.
For more information:
OP Granfrutta Zani
Via Monte Sant'Andrea
48018 Granarolo Faentino (RA)
+39 0546 695211
antonio@granfruttazani.it
www.granfruttazani.it