"While in December and January the season was marked by clearly higher temperatures compared to the average of the period, with consequent increase of yields and very low prices, early February 2012's cold wave stopped the growth of all products, in particular cabbage and broccoli, known to be susceptible to temperature changes" Rapezzi says.
"Damages of varying extent are recorded for all Apulian crops, in particular leaf vegetables. Broccoli and cabbage recorded no severe damages directly, but significant delays in growing. Volumes will be back to normal not before the end of February for cabbage and not before mid-March for broccoli, if temperatures return to the average seasonal levels."As the company manager says, till 31 January 2012 the prices of winter vegetables were 15% lower compared to previous year, almost to the edge of survival. "This situation was worsened by the truck drivers' strike and then abundant snow on the roads. Demand decrease was clear, but all operators - producers and traders - are surprised by market indifference, and unsatisfactory prices. There was a slight recovery in price, more on the European market than on Italian one, but a very moderate and insufficient recovery to return to the trend of December and January."
The early growing in December 2011 can lead to an early end of the season, Rapezzi believes. "In March-April we will record a shortage of produce. How this can reflect on prices it is difficult to say."
Contact:Roberto Rapezzi
Peviani SpA
Centrale Ortofrutticola di Ginosa
C.da Pantano - SP 2 km 2,8
74013 Ginosa (TA) - Italy
Phone: +39 (0)99 8279815 - 15
Fax: +39 (0)99 8279817
Email: [email protected]