The fields in the Basilicata region are turning red and beginning to 
smell of strawberries. The harvest of the Sabrosa variety, marketed under the brand names Candonga® and Candonga Top Quality®, is going very well this season and expectations are high.
This year, favorable weather conditions and early transplants, carried out according to Planasa's research program, have contributed to the good development of the crop in Basilicata. The climate guarantees high yields and a proper vegetative development of the plant. This ensures that there will be a regular and constant supply in the coming months.
For this strawberry season, 570 hectares have been planted with the Sabrosa variety, a strawberry that is still very popular in the Italian market because of its yield. The technical-commercial group Planitalia predicts that 24,000 tons of these strawberries will be marketed this season.
"We have been growing strawberries in Basilicata for many years and we keep choosing the Sabrosa variety. The markets demand it because of its good characteristics. The fact that this cultivation is limited to our region works in our favor because we have created an identity and the variety is very well represented in this way," said Antonio Zani of Granfrutta Zani, which markets the strawberries under the Candonga Top Quality® brand.
"All plants are of the Sabrosa variety and these are marketed under the Candonga Top Quality®. This year's performance is excellent and the crop shows homogeneity, which allows us to properly plan the harvest. The first batches will be harvested this week. We are very optimistic about the coming season," said Giovanni Manolio of the homonymous company.
"We are satisfied with the progress. The arrival of the Candonga® strawberries is a special moment for the growers, because they put their heart and soul into it, which is especially true this year because, for the first time ever, Candonga is grown exclusively in Basilicata. The crops of the Sabrosa variety have, in fact, been distributed exclusively to growers in this region, who are now growing an exclusive product for international markets," said Loris Gentile, manager at PlanItalia.
"The key factor is the quality of the plant and we owe that to the good work of the plant nurseries in Poland and Spain. In addition, the growers in Basilicata have a great experience in management and all of this ensures that we deliver strawberries of the highest quality. This year is special because the variety has reached its eighteenth year. This will be rewarded with a perfect harvest and on behalf of PlanItalia we will continue to support the growers," said Nino Foraboschi, Director of PlanItalia.