FreshPlaza interviewed Mauro Martini, sales manager for fruit division of Lagnasco Group.The cooperative was busy in marketing of the following volumes of apples (exclusively produced and conferred by associated growers):
- 7,000 tons of Red Delicious
- 6,000 tons of Gala
- 4,000 tons of Golden Delicious
- 1,200 tons of Fuji
- 600 tons of Granny Smith
"So far the marketing situation for Gala and red apples is moderate. Thanks to the enlargement of sales in overseas markets such as United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, Sudan, Brazil, Colombia and others, demand was always very interesting, with stable prices for the whole period. In particular, these markets bought fruit of medium size that in Europe is no longer sold" Martini says.
"Unfortunately I can say that our producers and processing companies are faced annually with more and more expensive efforts in terms of costs. Comparing the marketing of two hemispheres does not offer real answers to two different economic situations," Martini underlines despite the rather satisfactory selling prices.
As for climate, Martini says no influences on apple sales are recorded.
Difficulties for kiwifruit marketing
Lagnasco manages also 14,000 tons of kiwifruit, but the marketing season of this product has not been particularly brilliant so far. Martini explains: "This year the market had a lot of difficulties, above all as for the sale of kiwifruit with medium-small size, weighing below 90 grams (70% of the total)."
"In Europe kiwifruit recorded the lowest volumes and purchase prices ever, in addition to the concurrence of Greek product and the negative economical contest" Martini says. He adds: "Markets always interesting for us (Canada, the USA, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, etc.) were not up to the previous year."
"The only positive figure is given by the Asian market, that showed a lot of interest towards our product" Martini concludes.
Contact:Lagnasco Frutta Soc. Coop a r.l.
Via Santa Maria, 2
12030 Lagnasco (CN)
Phone: +39 (0)175 282120
Fax: +39 (0)175 282181
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.lagnascogroup.it
Mauro Martini - Sales Manager
Mobile: +39 338 5761454
E-mail: [email protected]