Potato and onion harvesting in Italy is over despite the many difficulties caused by rain and frequent storms. "The whole season was rather mediocre, not so much production-wise but rather in terms of quality, as the rainy summer increased the risk of fungi which, if not monitored and controlled, compromised the quality of the produce," explain the managers of F.lli Torti S.r.l.
In general, the quantity of potatoes and onions stored in the company's cold storage units is enough and quality is good.
"We would like to stress that all of our products are cultivated using integrated control methods that guarantee their safety. In addition, they are stored without using chemical treatments."
According to the owners, the worst part of the year was the market trend, as the consumption drop was met by abundant supplies. "This was due to the increase in cultivated areas and yields, as well as to the Russian ban. We must bear in mind that a substantial part of the European production (mostly the French and German one) can no longer be shipped to Russia and is therefore directed towards other countries like Italy."
This results in a strongly unbalanced demand-supply situation with negative consequences on the whole productive chain, where prices don't even cover cultivation costs.
According to F.lli Torti, this is one of the most difficult campaigns of the last few years.
Contacts:
F.lli TORTI srl
Via Marconi 54/61
15050 Molino dei Torti (AL)
Tel.: (+39) 0131 854363
Fax: (+39) 0131 854188
Email: info@fratellitorti.it
Web: www.fratellitorti.it