The new organic pistacchio di Raffadali DOP is becoming increasingly popular thanks to Luigi Brucculeri, a pistachio producer from Castrofilippo (Agrigento) whose company includes a historic pistachio grove (among the first with a rational layout). The company was also one of the first to comply with the consortium specifications and, this year, it has completed the conversion to organic methods.
Luigi Brucculeri
The Brucculeri company is therefore one first to commercialize organic pistacchio di Raffadali DOP, with the CSQA certification for both the organic and PDO produce.
The company also boasts centuries-old trees with a regular layout, but but the majority is around thirty years old and mechanical harvesting has been implemented for them.
"As envisaged by the production specifications, the rootstock is terebinth on which the Neapolitan variety was grafted. The emerald green color, oblong shape and sweet aromatic flavor of these pistachios have make them unmistakable and one of the leading products worldwide."
The producer has had to deal with various problems this year because "the period between the setting and growth of the new fruitlets was affected by abundant rain. This determined a high percentage of relative humidity for the whole period, favoring the development of numerous diseases that affected both the leaves and young fruitlets, meaning part of the production was lost."
"Even though there have been some losses this year, we are not losing heart, so much so that we have implemented several production protocols with which we aim to limit damage in future years. Anyway we produce pistachios every year - unlike in other areas - thanks to winter pruning, through which we try to mitigate the alternating production typical of the species. Waste is burned in situ also to diminish the load of harmful insects that could restart infections the following year. To fight these insects using methods that respect the environment and are in line with organic production techniques, we monitor the development of larvae on top of lowering the initial population so as to perform targeted interventions and reduce treatments, thus improving their effectiveness."
This year, harvesting will start in last August and we have estimated around 15 tons which will be commercialized both in shell and shelled in the packaging approved by the consortium and with the dual bio and PDO marks. The first packages will be presented during the next Fastuca Fest in September.
For further information:
Azienda Agricola Brucculeri Luigi
Via Michelangelo n 8
92020 Castrofilippo (AG)
+39 3482268105
[email protected]
