It has been a hard few weeks for strawberry producers in southern Italy due to the high availability of produce from Spain and extra-EU countries. Basilicata is the leading producer region and agriculture is the cornerstone of its economy, so facing negative periods such as this one could affect the entire campaign with consequences for various producers.
FreshPlaza talked about it with entrepreneur Leonardo Scarnato, owner of a company in Scanzano Jonico (Matera). "Managing over 12 hectares of strawberries knowing that the commercial situation is complicated is not easy. 90% of our production is destined to retail chains, while the rest is supplied to various domestic intermediary markets."
"Albania, Greece, Morocco and especially Spain are flooding the Italian markets with their strawberries, leading to a drop in the price of the domestic produce, which currently barely reaches €2/kg. The foreign produce is sold at as little as €0.50/kg."
"The sacrifices various producers make to guarantee fruit that is healthy and genuine are drastically lessened with the arrival on the market of foreign strawberries. We respect the various production specifications and systematically perform multi-residue analyses both in the fields and in stores."
"We need to deal with imports from other countries year after year, but this year it seems the phenomenon is out of control. I understand that goods need to circulate freely, but the produce needs to be checked before it reaches the various destinations."
"Buyers tell us our strawberries are expensive and therefore not appreciated by final consumers. It is easier to sell produce that seems Italian at a price that is 50% cheaper."
What could happen in the next few months?
"April and May are the busiest months for strawberry commercialization, especially in southern Italy. Exporter countries have a warmer weather than ours so, if their strawberries arrive on our markets early, it means their quantities will end soon with the increase in temperatures. Only then will the markets be filled with Italian products and will prices increase."
In addition, the producer confirms that the cost to comply with all standards is high. "Just to give one example, we need to install a chemical toilet for every 10 workers near the harvesting area at our own expense ."
Contacts:
Az. Agr. Leonardo Scarnato
Tel.: (+39) 0835/931498
Email: aziendascarnato@gmail.com