The Sicilian new carrot season is among the most representative in Italy, as it is the only one that is counterseasonal. These carrots have extraordinary organoleptic properties, not only thanks to their freshness and crunchiness, but mostly due to the environment they grow in - south-eastern Sicily - boasting fertile soil just a few km from the sea.
Above: Salvatore, Luisa and Antonietta, children of Pietro Spatola
"Ours is a semi-processed product that, after being washed and sorted, is placed in big bags holding around 1000 kg each. Bags are then sent to central and northern Italy to be processed, i.e. sorted and packaged in the usual trays or loose for retail," explained Pietro Spatola, an entrepreneur from Rosolini (SR).
Big bag holding approximately 1000 kg
"Carrot production in Italy takes place in four main areas: Sicily (February to May); Fiumicino (May to June and November to March); Chioggia (May to August and November to March) and Fucino (June to January)".
Italian production covers the entire year, but what are the main competitors? "Certainly there is a lot of foreign produce circulating in Italy but, when it comes to Sicily, the main competitors are Israel, Spain and Portugal. Germany, Poland and other European states appear when the produce from Fucino, Chioggia and Fiumicino starts being available. When foreign volumes are particularly abundant, their chilled produce completely overlaps the Italian one. In this case, as it is more competitive, it drives down the price of domestic productions as well."
"The 2021 campaign has not been one of the best, as various productions overlapped (new carrots with those from Chioggia and Fiumicino), thus lowering the prices. This was met by a general drop in consumption caused by Covid-19. The average price of our unbranded carrots supplied in big bags is €0.25/kg".
What could be done to improve the commercialization of this product and, most of all, to promote its characteristics with consumers? Would it make sense to package and commercialize carrots autonomously?
"Logistics, i.e. distance, prevents us from supplying the produce directly to retailers, as they are located mainly in central and northern Italy, so we must work with local packagers who are more organized and manage to supply supermarkets throughout the year. On the other hand, the produce sent abroad from Sicily leaves already packaged. For those working with semi-processed products like us, big bags are currently the best solution. However, the constant expansion of crops in Italy risks inflating the supply of domestic produce."
For further information: 
Pietro Spatola
Azienda agricola Pietro spatola
+39 368975400
+39 3386356056
info@pietrospatola.com
www.pietrospatola.com