"The persistent drought and high temperatures in the early morning hours make it difficult to grow horticultural crops," says Maria Luisa Terrenzio, marketing manager at OP Prima Bio in Rignano Garganico, a town in the Italian province of Foggia, Apulia. "Tomatoes, in particular, require constant watering."
"It is difficult to maintain a consistent level of soil moisture when the water supply is less than what the plants need, especially in areas without reservoirs."
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Founded in 1998, Prima Bio is a cooperative formed by the Terrenzio family and other local farms. The horticultural produce obtained through organic cultivation is quickly harvested, sorted, and processed from the moment it is picked.
"From field to processing, we are careful to preserve the nutritional value and taste of our vegetables," the manager explains. "We control the entire supply chain, from our nursery and crop cultivation to processing and marketing to end customers through wholesale, retail, and e-commerce channels."
© Concetta Di Lunardo | FreshPlaza.com
Prima Bio OP's assortment includes organically grown short-chain vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, aubergines, courgettes, peppers, asparagus, and long and round tomatoes. The latter are processed into sauce, while the former are used for the ready-to-eat segment, such as preserves and pickles. The flagship products are tomato purée and peeled tomatoes, both of which are nickel-free.
"We have joined the NO CAP project against all forms of exploitation in the fields. These values extend to every sphere of our working and private lives," says Maria Luisa.
© Prima Bio"The organic tomatoes we use for our purée are grown and ripened in the sun," explains Giovanni Maria Terrenzio, the OP's founder and president. "We pick them by hand in the field. Once at the farm, we analyze the raw material, batch by batch, in the laboratory to ensure that there is no nickel. Then, the tomatoes are processed into purée or peeled within hours of harvest. These low-thermal-stress transformation processes aim to preserve the organoleptic properties of the raw material."
"Today, choosing organic means choosing wellness, health, and a lifestyle in harmony with nature. Over 15 years ago, we embarked on a pioneering journey to bring our organic vegetables to a market unaware of the connection between food and wellness. Through dedication and foresight, we promoted healthy and sustainable eating habits, earning the trust of consumers over time. Today, Prima Bio is a well-established company recognized in Italy and abroad for the quality and ethics of its production."
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"One of Prima Bio's unique aspects, which we are very proud of, is our dedication to fighting against 'caporalato', the illegal exploitation of labor, a commitment shared with our member farms. Since 2018, we have collaborated with the No Cap association to implement an ethical supply chain that ensures farm laborers are treated with respect. This work is essential to ensuring the quality of our products, and we believe it should be carried out with dignity, without ever having to choose between work and respect for one's rights."
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Prima Bio cultivates 350 hectares of land owned by its four founding members. The main markets are abroad: Germany, Austria, and France account for 80% of sales, while Italy accounts for the remaining 10%. Click here to access the company catalog and view the range of products, both fresh and processed.
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For more information:
OP Prima BIO
Contrada Villanova, 17
71010 Rignano Garganico (FG) - Italy
Tel: +39 3203379346
Email1: [email protected]
Email2: [email protected]
Website: www.primabio.farm
