Italian pomegranates are strong on sales and ready for Christmas supplies

The Italian pomegranate season is in full swing. Dario De Lisi of Masseria Fruttirossi talked about how the season is going. "The harvest has just ended for the early Wonderful variety. The harvest amounted to 4,000 tons, twice as much as the previous season. The increase in availability is due not only to the entry into production of new acreage (about 50 ha), but also to the development of new plants, which provide us with increasingly large quantities as the years go by."

"Sales on the Italian market continue and we are diversifying the packaging according to the destination. In addition to the classic packing method in crates of different sizes (6-12 pomegranates), the baskets with 2 pieces (500 g) are proving to be most popular. Consumers can put the fruit directly into their basket, thanks to the EAN code on the back of the package, avoiding the need to weigh it."

"In recent days we have also seen growing interest in pomegranates at a European level, especially from Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. The export figures are positive, and we think we can surpass the last season. The ability to deliver pomegranates until the end of March gives us an edge in choosing Italian and international customers."

"Prices are unchanged from 2020, despite higher prices for packaging and raw materials. This clearly implies a lower profit margin for the growers, who bear the increases."

Melagrana Magnum Christmas Box

"For Christmas 2021 we are reintroducing the Melagrana Magnum box, given the success of the previous edition. It is a 13x13.5 cm cardboard box, available in two colors (red and green), with a pomegranate that weighs at least 850 grams. In addition to being a gift, the box can be used as a lantern for decoration, thanks to a hole in the bottom for inserting a light."