The vegetable export to Italy went well last winter, says Gianluca Bonaccorso of Unitrade Holland from Poeldijk, which focuses fully on the export to Italy. "I do think the trade is under increasing pressure. Customers who previous bought import products from us like grapes and plum, are looking for more direct contact with the suppliers. Thankfully there is also a large group of customers that want their needs taken care of and can order the entire package from us at any time."
"Our basic products are still going well. On an annual basis chicory and potatoes are our largest products, followed by cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, peppers and vine tomatoes. In the last period a lot of products had a higher average price, but the volumes were slightly lower, both due to the warm, dry summer," says Gianluca. "Traditionally Italy has a good demand for Comice pears, but those volumes were slightly disappointing this year."
According to Gianluca Italy is quite a traditional country as far as consumption patterns are concerned, but the exotics are making their way in. "In Southern Italy in particular there is lots of experimentation with exotics - with avocados for example. We will see what influence this has in the market. What the prospects will be like for the coming summer is hard to estimate. A lot depends on the weather. Last summer no one thought it would be as warm and dry here for as long as it was, but normally the Italians also find their way here in the summer for their peppers, vine tomatoes and open ground products."
For more information:
Gianluca Bonaccorso
Unitrade Holland
ABC Westland 664
2685 DH Poeldijk
Tel.: (0174) 62 37 50
Fax: (0174) 62 13 53
info@unitrade-holland.nl