"For the current campaign we plan to handle 5000 tons of melons, and we expect to finish about a month later compared to last year, around September 10th. The areas dedicated to the melon have increased by 10%; for the previous campaign of cucurbitaceae, that is watermelons and pumpkins in addition to melons, we handled a total of 6000 tons". So says Pietro Paolo Ciardiello, manager of the Coop Sole di Parete, in the province of Caserta.
Carlo Coscetta (warehouse manager), Pietro Paolo Ciardiello (manager of Coop Sole) and Mario Vicario (agronomist).
"The netted melon campaign started 10 days ago; 10 days before last year's campaign. The melon is receiving good feedback from the market. We are satisfied with the the work done so far, both for the prices and for the excellent quality of the product (a high brix degree) that distinguishes us".
Pietro Ciardiello gives a lot of credit to his partners in the cooperative, and expresses his utmost respect: "We are growing thanks to our collaborations and our relationships of mutual esteem and trust with the Don Camillo and Cà Nova companies, to which our organic product is allocated. Together we will strengthen and improve the Italian melon supply chain".
In Cooperativa Sole expanding the varietal offer is very important, so much so that the manager says: "In the long term, we'll work on the netted melon Gaudio, Django and 5448 varieties; as for the organic, there's the Kabajon, a very rustic plant suited to our production needs. We are testing about twenty cultivars, some tests have already given us interesting results".
"Next year - continues Ciardiello - we will also renew the organic variety range, for greater differentiation". The organic production of melon covers 15% of the total, while the share of certified melons with zero residue is around 35%.
"We are also experimenting with varieties of smooth melon with orange pulp, to renew the future offer. We are constantly looking for cultivars with a high brix degree and long shelf-life, putting consumer requests at the center of our choices".
In conclusion, Ciardiello comments on the workforce, saying: "The Italian supply chain of excellence starts from the countryside, in the fields: there is no excellence without skilled labor. It is true that this has always been a serious problem in our sector, but having skilled workers in agriculture would mean giving certainty to a sector that has many uncertainties. We are lucky to have workers in the company who have worked with us for many years".
Contacts:
Cooperativa Sole
Via della Repubblica n. 70
81030 Parete (Ce)
Tel.: (+39) 081 5036887
Fax: (+39) 081 5035111
Email: info@coopsole.it
Web: www.coopsole.it