"In addition, we have noticed consumers are less keen on Chinese garlic despite lower prices. They tend in fact to prefer Italian and Spanish produce. Now, the biggest consumers of Chinese garlic are North European countries, and mainly Great Britain."
The main country from which Italy imports is Spain, which during this season grew high-quality Spring garlic with good grades. Tuccillo adds that, "traditional white garlic has been having drying problems once again because of 'Waxy Breakdown' caused by the Fusarium Proliferatum infection which affects all three producer countries (Spain, France, Italy). This rot only affects white garlic and not the red or pink one."
"Secondly, the diffusion of 'Waxy Breakdown' means growers are choosing early varieties more and more and are not keen on buying seeds certified as 'virus-free', as they do not guarantee a safe production. We are now in September and garlic from the previous campaign from both Spain and Argentina is still available. It's going to be a vicious circle: in order to sell old stocks, prices will drop at the expense of the new produce." There is going to be excessive produce but, if stored correctly in cold storage units, they can be sold next year.
Finally, new produce from South America is going to be available already before the end of the year. "Will the European market be able to absorb this product or shall we not even import it? Operators who imported garlic from Argentina last year had to deal with big losses. Will they risk again?" Tuccillo asks himself.
Contacts:
Antonio Tuccillo
Agrimpex Farming Srl
S.P. Caivano - Cancello
Contrada Sannereto
80011 Acerra (Napoli)
Tel.: (+39) 081 3195185
Fax.: (+39) 081 5207510
Cell.: (+39) 335 7746265
Email1: import@agrimpexfarming.it
Email2: agrimpexfarming@pec.it
Web: www.agrimpexfarming.it
The main country from which Italy imports is Spain, which during this season grew high-quality Spring garlic with good grades. Tuccillo adds that, "traditional white garlic has been having drying problems once again because of 'Waxy Breakdown' caused by the Fusarium Proliferatum infection which affects all three producer countries (Spain, France, Italy). This rot only affects white garlic and not the red or pink one."
The Morado variety in Spain has also experienced quality problems as bulbs were rather irregular/misshapen with little peel, which had a faded almost-white colour. "Practically speaking, those characteristics that usually differentiate this variety from white garlic are less evident this year and therefore prices are lower and demand is scarce."
The average import price in 2013 varies around €1.00/1.50/kg, depending on the grade and on quality. Demand is scarce nonetheless and there is little interest.
Future perspectives
"Future perspectives are the real problem and matter of uncertainty," says Tuccillo. "First of all, this year there is going to be a lot of unsold produce and many growers are going to be tempted to re-plant it, so production in Europe will increase, as it will do in China, which this year had the same problems as us."
The average import price in 2013 varies around €1.00/1.50/kg, depending on the grade and on quality. Demand is scarce nonetheless and there is little interest.
Future perspectives
"Future perspectives are the real problem and matter of uncertainty," says Tuccillo. "First of all, this year there is going to be a lot of unsold produce and many growers are going to be tempted to re-plant it, so production in Europe will increase, as it will do in China, which this year had the same problems as us."
"Secondly, the diffusion of 'Waxy Breakdown' means growers are choosing early varieties more and more and are not keen on buying seeds certified as 'virus-free', as they do not guarantee a safe production. We are now in September and garlic from the previous campaign from both Spain and Argentina is still available. It's going to be a vicious circle: in order to sell old stocks, prices will drop at the expense of the new produce." There is going to be excessive produce but, if stored correctly in cold storage units, they can be sold next year.
Finally, new produce from South America is going to be available already before the end of the year. "Will the European market be able to absorb this product or shall we not even import it? Operators who imported garlic from Argentina last year had to deal with big losses. Will they risk again?" Tuccillo asks himself.
Contacts:
Antonio Tuccillo
Agrimpex Farming Srl
S.P. Caivano - Cancello
Contrada Sannereto
80011 Acerra (Napoli)
Tel.: (+39) 081 3195185
Fax.: (+39) 081 5207510
Cell.: (+39) 335 7746265
Email1: import@agrimpexfarming.it
Email2: agrimpexfarming@pec.it
Web: www.agrimpexfarming.it