Vincenzo Amata is the CEO of this family business. He claimed, “After thirty years experience as a salesman, I have decided to care for and to promote my own farm, with a novel and avant-garde project: tropical fruits”.
Amata continues, “We have put so much passion and dedication into this that the field has become an actual sub-tropical garden – also thanks to the quality of the soil. It used to be just citrus could grow there but then the land changed and now we can grow a wide range of exotic fruits – starting with the mango”.
The Bianco company occupies 13 hectares and is located between the mountains of the Parco dei Nebrodi in the North of Sicily, very close to the sea. Even though the majority of the production is still citrus fruit here, they are now starting to grow tropical fruits to satisfy the increasing demand.
The entrepreneur continues, “This long family tradition has developed towards the mango and it will keep expanding towards the papaya, the passion fruit and the avocado”.
Amata explains, “Our tradition, passion and love for our land makes us innovation-oriented, with one objective only: to guarantee our global clients a top-quality mango. We ‘cuddle’ the mango, we respect it and we protect it through every ripening stage. But always in a sustainable way. In doing so, we can produce fruit with bright colours, an intense aroma and with a sweet and juicy pulp”.
Before they started growing mangoes, they conducted several studies on the soil, such as the water availability, the fertility and the pH level.
The farmer states, “Our company had to prepare the soil before implanting. In this way, it was possible to measure the perfect distance between each plant according to the climate conditions: we moved the rows towards the South, thus giving the majority of natural sunlight to the plants. All our mango plantations are protected by windbreak barriers, made with chestnut wood poles and nets”.
The company’s mango varieties are ....
- Glenn: it ripens in August and it is characterized by its excellent taste
- Maya: yellow with some red shades, it weighs 300 gr on average
- Osteen: quite big fruits, almost 600 gr. Its pulp is tough and very juicy
- Kent: yellow-green with some red shades during the ripening phase. It has a very strong aroma, a very sweet pulp and it weighs almost 600 gr.
- Kensington Pride: very resistant. Its pulp has an excellent taste. It ripens between the end of August and September.
Amata concludes, “We registered our brand “PapaMango” so to promote our product in Europe, also. This brand represents 20% of our production. It is a Sicilian brand specialised only in the production of mangoes, for a total of 15 tons. We have almost completed the processes that lead to direct marketing in the great organised distribution. We will start in Italy, first. At the same time, we are having very profitable discussions with Switzerland and France”.
Info:
Azienda Agr. Bianco Rosalia
C.da Giancola, 2/A
98076 Sant'Agata di Militello (ME)
Mob.: +39 393 9110524
Email: info@papamango.it
Web: www.papamango.it