After months of drought and temperatures above seasonal averages, which led to a delay in production of about a month, it now seems that the ideal climatic conditions for the growth of artichokes have arrived. "The recent heavy rains, which lasted for several days, turned out to be a godsend for us producers, although they caused a lot of damage in some areas of Sardinia," said the farmer Francesco Setzu.
"The temperature reaches 5°C in the early morning, favoring a natural growth, and without generating a production surplus, which often leads to a significant depreciation. So far, quotations are encouraging, even if orders are partly influenced by the instability of the Ho.Re.Ca channel and requests are 20-30% lower."
Tema variety
"A total of 50,000 heads are harvested each week, all of which are then delivered to a major fruit and vegetable producer organization in Sardinia. Sales prices are in line with those of last year. For example, the Tema variety ranges from 0.40 to 0.50 euro per piece, while the Romanesco can fetch as much as 1 euro per head. The bizarre weather of 2020 has certainly caused a drop in production, but the quality of the artichokes and the plant health are excellent. All in all, we cannot complain. We only hope that the restaurant sector will recover soon".