Despite the Covid-19 health emergency, the fruit and vegetable industry has not stopped, and Donnalia, the Sicilian top quality fruit brand, is no exception. The government decrees, in force since April, have provided guidelines to ensure the continuity of supply in the fruit and vegetable production and commercial sectors.
The Dipasquale brothers
"We have secured our employees - said the brothers Angelo and Vincenzo Dipasquale, founders of the Donnalia brand - by imposing proper interpersonal distancing and providing the appropriate devices, so as to guarantee continuity and provide fruit to our consumers."
The melon season is on the rise. What is Donnalia currently working on at this time of the campaign?
"Yes, the melon season started with the first cuts at the end of March - answered Vincenzo Dispasquale - but the official season will only start next week. After all, the weather in April is always unpredictable, alternating between sun and heat, cold and rain. This leads to an irregular consumption of a product that is mainly perceived as a summer fruit, usually purchased with warmer temperatures. At the moment prices vary between 1.50 and 2.60 euro/kg, depending on the quality of the product."
The definition of quality is often very confusing - pointed out Angelo Dipasquale: "For our company it means first and foremost taste, and in this case the melon must have a high Brix grade, meaning that it must never be below 15, but it also needs to be appealing to the consumer in order to be packaged under the Donnalia brand product. Thanks to this company policy, our products always meet the the customers satisfaction and therefore that of our business partners."
"I would like to highlight that, now more than ever, we must put the 
emphasis on quality, because we cannot betray the consumer, but we must be able to guarantee what we sell. For our red-fleshed melon, the main market is the Italian one and, within a month, we will also start the apricot campaign. Even with stone fruit we have excellent expectations, given the production that grows every year on our farms, thanks also to the selection of varieties made in recent years."
Finally, the two experts have launched a sincere appeal: "To the Italian large-scale retail trade, but also to wholesalers, to whom we ask to choose national products, because we will certainly have a comeback not only economically, but we will also offer our country the chance to progress, and to our young people, our employees, the opportunity to build a future in Italy."
Contact:
Società Agricola Di Pasquale Srl
Via Michelangelo, 7
93010 Delia (CL) - Italia
Phone.: +39 0922 826009 /+39 339 4895230
Fax: +39 0922 922 826009
Email: amministrazione@dipasqualeortofrutta.com
Website: www.donnalia.com