Italian persimmons belonging to the Rojo Brillante variety are currently
still available in the markets and are expected to remain so until early February. "This is the result of some new, agronomic techniques, which allow us to postpone the harvest and then store the persimmons for 20 to 30 days in special storage cells," said agronomist Vito Vitelli, also creator of the Melotto brand, a network that supports the cultivation of kaki.
"Thanks to these techniques, growers can extend the supply over several months and receive an amount of €0.60 to €0.65 per kilo instead of a maximum of €0.35. The latter amount is typical for the months of October/November because that is when there is a surplus and the market is flooded with persimmons from abroad."
"It is possible to modify the harvesting of different persimmon varieties for a period of four months. This has to do with the specific techniques applied to pruning, nutrition and irrigation and the use of special substances, of natural origin, that delay ripening. Especially the latter application is often applied in late summer, which is when the veraison begins."
Rojo Brillante persimmons harvested on 9 January, 2021
"We have made huge progress in a fairly short period of time, but we noticed that not many growers are interested in these solutions. This is a pity, because we could obtain a redder, better looking and bigger persimmon by the beginning of January with this technique. Our mission is to extend the sales of Italian persimmons until the first ten days of March, but to achieve this we need to take a closer look at some of the methods of cold storage. The last persimmons were harvested on 9 January 2021 in the Sicilian province of Agrigento," concluded Vitello.
Contact:
Vito Vitelli - Agronomist
Phone.: +39 339 2511629