"While we continue to transplant broccoli at altitudes no lower than 500–600 meters above sea level, we have begun harvesting the first buds from plants that were planted at the beginning of March." The production area is Vulture, a place in northern Basilicata with a cold, temperate climate, where minimum temperatures are around 8°C during this time," explains Pasquale Bruno, the sales manager of Natura Ortaggi, a southern Italian company that produces, packages, and markets vegetables in Italy and parts of Europe.
"The idea of cultivating at higher altitudes stems from the need to extend the production calendar and ensure ample supply for customers throughout the summer. This is important because producing brassicas in the main production areas of Apulia and Basilicata becomes difficult during this time," he adds.
Natura Ortaggi's campaign began in the first ten days of September and will run until the end of July 2025. The company has allocated 550 hectares to brassicas, divided as follows: 400 hectares of broccoli, 100 hectares of white cauliflower, 30 hectares of Romanesco cauliflower, and 20 hectares of green cauliflower. "It's been an unpredictable season," the manager notes. "Hot weather and persistent drought have disrupted the plants' production cycle, causing early ripening and resulting in significant shortages. In the previous months, high supply led to considerable depletion," he adds.
"Quotations are not particularly encouraging. For cauliflower, which we'll stop selling in about a week with the last shipments coming from Basilicata and Apulia, prices have dropped from €1.30/kg around Easter to €0.90–1.00/kg. Demand is generally good, but compared to previous years, there's clearly a downward trend in vegetable consumption. Germany, for example, has historically been a key export market for us, but this year we're seeing a 10–15% decline in orders."
For more information:
Natura Ortaggi Srls
Melfi Industrial Zone (Potenza) - Italy
+39 339 199 9776
[email protected]