"We too have been reducing banana imports. Some sales channels stayed strong, others are falling sharply. We' ll see what happens now. Certainly, what matters first and foremost is health." This is what Alessandro Dal Bello of SIFE said about the current state of the banana industry.
Alessandro Dal Bello
"First of all, we've secured the company, inbound and outbound, to avoid any contagion, to protect employees and customers. We are not working at our full potential, but we believe that people's health comes first."
"Secondly, referring to the last two weeks, we noticed a drop in demand - and this was to be expected - as a result of school closures. The HoReCa channel is also undergoing a severe setback. On the other hand, there is no tourism, canteens are closed, bars are about to close, which means that consuming habits are decreasing."
The large-scale retail trade is resisting because consumers, beyond sporadic episodes of assaulting sales outlets, are regularly returning to stock up on supplies. Wholesale markets, on the other hand, are more unstable because of days of stagnation and others that are more hectic.
"I reiterate my opinion on prioritizing health above everything else and I believe that Italy is a leading role-model for everyone, both for taking dramatic decisions, which I personally would have activated at an earlier stage, and also for a healthcare that stands out, providing free healthcare for everyone, with laudable doctors and nurses."
Contact and information: 
Dal Bello SIFE
Corso Stati Uniti 23
35127 Padova (PD) - Italy
Phone.: +39 049 8703000
Email: direzione@sife.it
Website: www.dalbellosife.com