Agronomist Giuseppe Tagliente from O.P. Agorà reveals how the new project will entail the conversion of 300 hectares of the best known varieties of table grapes on the market.
"Together with our associates, we established that it was time to make a change for those table grape types for which it is difficult to reach satisfactory quotations. We presented a program to the main national and international breeders so as to replace the traditional varieties with patented seedless ones. So far, we have already planted over 25 hectares of ARRA30, ARRA19 and ARRA32 grapes."
ARRA32 - Archive photo.
"Operations will continue over the next 5 years for a total of 300 hectares. The profit margins on the older varieties are in fact diminishing as they tend to have higher production costs (around +15%) and lower yields compared to the recently-introduced patented varieties. Over the next few years, the arrival of new cultivars changed the mentality of growers, who receive help from the PO as 50% of the cost is financed through programs."
ARRA30 - Foto d'archivio.
"The organization gathers over 420 associates and 5 cooperatives boasting processing and packaging lines in Basilicata, Apulia, Campania and Piedmont. With this renewal, which includes agronomic methods suggested by the various breeders, we are trying to help all those producers who have been facing difficulties over the past few years, making them newly competitive on the domestic and international markets."
Contacts:
O.P. Agorà Soc. Coop. Agr.
Viale Padre Mario Pagano 15
75012 Metaponto di Bernalda (MT)
Tel.: +39 0835 404972
Email: info@opagora.it
Website: opagora.it