Agro Mediterranea Distribuzione, an Italian company that specializes in supplying fruit and vegetables to large-scale retailers, shares its insights on the artichoke and tomato campaigns, including product quality, initial market responses, and expectations for the coming weeks.
Filippo Frongia reviews the first weeks of the artichoke campaign. "The campaign has started gradually, but with encouraging signs. The first deliveries were of the Tema variety, which is characterized by excellent quality. Cooler temperatures in recent weeks have favored production, and volumes are slightly higher than in the same period last year. However, quotations are lower than a year ago due to the drop in consumption recorded in late October and the mild weather conditions that do not favor demand for winter vegetables," Frongia says.
Frongia also mentioned the launch of the four-piece packaged artichoke line and the introduction of the product in trays. Customers have responded well, recognizing its added value. "We increased our supplies to large-scale retailers compared to last year to gain a competitive advantage, even if it required some initial sacrifices," Frongia points out. However, due to limited available volumes, we are currently unable to cover the entire customer network.
Looking ahead to the coming weeks, Frongia adds that everything will depend on the weather. "The artichoke market is extremely sensitive to weather conditions. Consumption is likely to stay low if temperatures remain high, and production will probably slow down. Conversely, if the winter season unfolds as anticipated, volumes will stabilize and consumption will return to medium-high levels, resulting in a balanced campaign. However, one would require a magic crystal ball to predict the outcome."
The harvest of the Moro Sardo tomato variety began about a month ago, with positive results in terms of both quality and quantity. Currently, production levels are low, but we expect significant growth starting in mid-November. Other companies in the group will also begin production at that time, allowing us to open new sales channels. "We don't want to promise supplies we can't guarantee," explains Andrea Manca. "It's better to wait until we have sufficient volumes."
"The product quality is good, and the market now recognizes Moro Sardo as an established product line. However, the performance of other varieties, such as datterino, ciliegino, and piccadilly, has been more volatile. There has been a decline followed by a recovery, and then a slight adjustment in recent weeks," Manca concludes.
For more information:
Andrea Manca - Sales Manager
+39 342 3390390
Agro Mediterranea Distribuzione Srl
S.P. 56 Km 0.500 Loc. Perdalba
09027 Serrenti (SU) - Italy
[email protected]
www.agromed.it
