The pepper season for the Cooperativa Agricola San Tommaso di Licata, located in the Sicilian province of Agrigento, is ending earlier than usual. "We typically work with this crop for ten months out of the year, from mid-August to May of the following year. This year, however, we will finish within the first ten days of April," says Vincenzo Marrali, the cooperative's quality control manager.
© San Tommaso Soc. Coop. Agr.
The pepper campaign in Sicily showed mixed results. It got off to a rough start in open fields but recovered thanks to greenhouse production and favorable conditions in the international market. Extreme weather events, such as hail and heavy rain, reduced Spanish production, favoring Sicilian product prices. Additionally, farmers strategically chose to grow peppers instead of courgettes to optimize labor costs.
The start of the season in September was disastrous, mainly due to extreme weather events. Heavy downpours at the end of August and exceptional hailstorms, particularly in the Mazzarino area, compromised product quality. This situation, combined with unfavorable weather conditions for sales, led to extremely low initial prices," Marrali explains. "The next phase, characterized by greenhouse production between October and January, however, marked a clear recovery. Quality improved significantly, supporting price growth. The average value at origin was between €1.00 and €1.30 per kilogram, ensuring good profitability for Sicilian producers. Prices peaked between December and January, reaching between €1.60 and €1.80 per kilogram," Marrali explains.
© San Tommaso Soc. Coop. Agr.
"The Spanish production crisis reduced the supply on the European market, favoring exports. Meanwhile, local cultivation choices increased the area dedicated to peppers at the expense of courgettes, the production of which requires more labor. These factors strengthened Sicily's competitive position. Courgette prices were low between November and December, followed by a sharp rise in January, with prices reaching up to €3.00/kg."
The pepper campaign is ending earlier than seasonal forecasts predicted due to winter rains that limited the development of late plants. A product shortage is expected to continue throughout April, resulting in high prices. Heavy rainfall and a lack of sunlight in January and February negatively impacted late crops, affecting their vegetative development and yield. "The plants appeared low and visibly fatigued, which reduced the quantity of vegetables available on the market," Marrali points out.
© Cinzia Incorvaia
The start of the melon campaign was marked by the introduction of new varieties that ripen early and have a long shelf life. As the pepper crop comes to an early end, the focus shifts to melon production. The Proteus variety will be available as early as Easter. We will also offer the Thyra variety from the Mundial Consortium, a significant innovation for the sector. "It is the first early-harvested melon with a long shelf life, and it is showing promising results in the early stages," Marrali concludes.
For more information:
Cooperativa Agricola San Tommaso
C.da Tenutella
S.S. 626 Uscita Carrubba
92027 Licata (AG) - Italy
Tel.: +39 0934 1958001
Fax: +39 0934 1958003
[email protected]
www.coopsantommaso.it
