"The netted melon campaign is proceeding smoothly. We have just finished harvesting the produce in polytunnels and we are about to start with open-field crops, where we will continue until early August. Quality standards are expected to be high and, so far, demand has exceeded supply leading to good market prices," explained Pietro Ciardiello, director of Coop Sole.
"May was complicated due to the adverse weather, while June and July were promising when it came to quantity and quality. Volumes were stable compared to last year, while the turnover increased considerably."
"Our melons stand out for their aroma, flavor, high Brix level and long shelf-life, though we are continuously looking for varieties that make our produce even more recognizable on the market and are therefore developing agronomic strategies to do so."
"After becoming successful on both the domestic and foreign markets, we were required to adapt our supply to grades between 1 and 1.5 kg, with a high Brix level and a longer shelf life."
"Due to the lack of labor, our partners found it difficult to harvest and have had to place the produce in bins only then processing the fruit in the warehouse. It is difficult to plan future crops."
"This year we have also tested mini and mid watermelons destined to markets in the north. Quality was good, especially for fruit grown in open-fields. We have been happy with the varieties chosen so far, though we need to identify the most interesting periods and markets so as to improve our supply."
Contacts:
Cooperativa Sole
Via Prov.le Parete - Tre Ponti
Parete (CE)
Tel.: (+39) 081 5036887
Fax: (+39) 081 5035111
Email: info@coopsole.it
Website: www.coopsole.it