With the fall season, consumers are looking for new products in supermarkets. Pomegranates are one of the most popular, mainly thanks to their beneficial properties.
FreshPlaza interviewed Dario De Lisi, sales manager for the leading pomegranate producer in Italy Masseria Fruttirossi. "It's difficult to predict how this campaign will go, as harvesting hasn't started yet. We will start in a few days' time with the early varieties, which are at least 15 days early. Most production areas are located in the south and in Sicily and Puglia in particular followed by Calabria and Lazio."
"The trend is growing, as consumers are increasingly interested in healthy Italian products. Of course, as demand is growing, we expect quotations to be in line with last year. Early varieties usually have higher prices then, when supply becomes more abundant around November, they tend to drop a little."
"European and extra-European countries are interested in the Italian produce because of its high-quality and reliability. However, we still cannot satisfy the entire domestic demand and in fact we also import some produce."
"Italian sales are slowed down by the Spanish and Turkish fruit sold at competitive prices. Yet those looking for pomegranates with specific characteristics tend to buy the Italian produce."
"Pomegranates are defined as a super-fruit. Their properties are known on a global level and this is why consumption is set to increase over the next few years. Unlike other products, however, they aren't easy to peel and eat, so fresh-cut options are a necessity."