"Prices do not cover production prices enough, that is why the hectares dedicated to garlic production continue to diminish in Italy. Processed and packaged garlic is paid €4-4.50/kg on average, while the chain would need at least €2 more per kg," reports Francesco Rastelli, president of the Copap cooperative.
"After all, the consumption of garlic per head in Italy is around 1 kg/year, so the incidence of this product in household expenditure is minimal. Garlic is like a spice, people consume only reduced quantities of it, and in fact the most popular packaging are nets containing three heads. I do not understand why the large players continue to keep prices low to the detriment of Italian production and to the advantage of the foreign production chain.
"In Europe, even France has overtaken Italy in terms of quantities produced, while our hectares continue to diminish. Somebody is not realizing that the Italian production truly risks disappearing."
Italy is producing less than 50% of the garlic consumed, the rest is imported. "The main supplier is Spain, which is also our main competitor. On a global level, China determines prices and Spain adjusts them as a consequence. A few statistics reveal how almost all the imported garlic comes from Spain."
For further information:
Copap Soc. Coop. Agricola
Via Breda 86, 29010 Monticelli d'Ongina (PC)
+39 0523 829456
[email protected]
www.copap.it
