"Apricot production is lower than average, and this is reflected in the prices, which, so far at least, have been really high. In fact, I don't remember such high figures in thirty years," reports Christian Montalti, an apricot producer from the Imola hills (Bologna). "Over the past few days, we have finished harvesting Pricia and Wondercot: The first batches were paid €5 per kg at auction, and then dropped to €3, which is very good."
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Montalti calculated a 25% drop in yield on his farm compared to a normal year. "However, there is certainly less product on the Italian and European market, otherwise we would not be able to explain certain prices."
Christian Montalti
Other varieties being harvested are: Tsunami, "sold on average at €4," and Luna, which stood at €3. "Allow me to share a thought: the highest prices were not obtained by the larger sizes, but rather by the better varieties from an organoleptic point of view, characterised by a higher Brix level. That is why, when it comes to new plantings, I will only choose varieties that are good to eat."
"We only pick apricots that have reached the right degree of ripeness, which are then placed in boxes containing six punnets, with a total weight of about 8 kg".
In a few days' time, the farmer will start picking Orange Ruby. Montalti has a special story: up until a couple of years ago, fruit growing was his second job, as he was an executive at a company. "Then I decided to change my life, despite the fact that many people told me I was crazy to leave a secure, responsible, and well-paid job like mine. I bought a farm next to mine and increased the surface area. Today, I grow a total of 7 hectares, with apricot trees already in production and others breeding or about to be planted."
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Christian Montalti
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