Demand for persimmons with a firm flesh is lively and prices seem to be rather satisfactory for Italian producers. One month after the start of the season, Antonio Savoia, a producer from Montalbano Jonico (Matera) who owns 12 hectares of Rojo Brillante persimmons, reports about how things are going.
Antonio Savoia
"I have been growing this persimmon variety for 8 years. I was among the first to plant it in Basilicata and there has been a lot of interest for it, especially since the fruits are practical to eat, appealing and tasty. I believed in its potential right from the start."
This seems to be a good year when it comes to quality, demand and quotations, which are 15% higher than last year. "If things will continue like this over the next 4-6 week, I believe the season will be more than positive."
Rojo Brillante is a variety of Spanish origin and its fruits are characterized by a deep and uniform orange color, a firm crunchy flesh without seeds and a shelf-life of over 10 days.
Worker busy with harvesting operations
It was the weather that caused a few problems for producers. "The frost in spring reduced yields by around 30%, then the hail in August compromised good part of my uncovered orchards (around 6 hectares), further reducing availability. The Mediterranean fruit fly also hit, which we contained with specific treatments."
Harvesting phase
"The fall season is much warmer than usual, with temperatures above the seasonal average. This means plants and fruits keep growing but, although this may seem a positive thing, it can cause problems when the produce must be placed on the market, as the ideal grades for Rojo Brillante persimmons is 240-280 g while, this year, many fruits have reached 550-600 g."