Lower volumes in the first stage of harvest
Italy: Melon season starts at Nadalini
FresPlaza interviewed Francesca Nadalini, marketing manager, about the beginning of 2012 melon campaign starting on 10th May. "We started with the harvest of early net melon. The early grafts are paradoxically more productive than traditional medium ones, due to an abnormal climate trend."
"After very high levels in the first weeks of March 2012, the temperatures declined sharply, slowing the development of medium grafts. The early ones, well eradicated in the ground, have survived better" Francesca said.
This particular production situation will lead to an inconsistent performance of the volumes of available product: "Fruit set on the plants is poor and in June, just when we will move to full production, we run the risk to work with lower volume than those expected."
"During June, I think that production could decrease by 20% compared the forecasts of this year. It could be a 40% reduction compared to the peak of last year when volumes recorded a 20% increase."
Some concerns are due to the rain of last days as bad weather influenced not only the plants but also the melon consumption: "When the temperatures increase we record a real race to purchase. Melon with ham is a rapid and tasty solution for summer lunches or dinners" Francesca continues.
Main sale markets for early melons of Nadalini are Northern Italy regions where the product arrives at the main wholesale markets. As for export Francesca said: "At the moment England and Switzerland are the only markets able to remunerate a quality product as ours with adequate prices compared production costs."
Within a couple of years the marketing scenario of melon is deeply changed, with the arrive of Moroccan melon on the national and international market. "A product with an undoubted quality but also lower costs" Francesca said. "Some time ago, especially at the beginning of the season, we got interesting prices. Now Moroccan and Sicilian melons are cheaper with levels lower than 1 Euro/kg. A premium product as ours should reach at least 1.60-1.80 Euro/kg to protect against possible market crisis; if the price goes under production cost it is difficult to keep business margins."
As for prices Francesca Nadalini has a clear idea: "Fruit and vegetable production faces more and more high costs in terms of pesticides, certifications, energy and packages. Sometimes package cost represents about 30% of product value. Growers want only an adequate price for their work."
At Nadalini, the melon season runs between mid-May and end November, with two cycles of production in greenhouse and in open field. Melons are sorted and packed at company factory (1,200 m2).
The company produces Cantaloupe net melon but it is specialized in smooth melon production (Honey Moon and Bacir varieties).
All the melons are monitored by a system for non-invasive reading of the sugar content through Near Infrared Technology (photo on the side) that allows to measure the Brix grades of each melon.
"With this system not only we can guarantee a product with a minimum sugar content to our clients, but we can also evaluate the results of our work in agronomic field improving it" Francesca said.
From a single processing line, the melon is destined to two packaging lines: one for the high quality product (Nadalini Gold line); the other to the melon for wider distribution. The factory has a productive capacity till 100 tons per day.
All produce meets the rules in terms of safety, naturalness and traceability, guaranteed by GlobalGAP certification. Further, at the end of May, the company will be subject to inspections also for Tesco Nurture standard, in order to demonstrate the commitment in melon production in terms of environment sustainability and consumers' health.
Contact:
Francesca Nadalini
Azienda Ortofrutticola Nadalini
Via Milazzo, 262
46028 - Santa Croce di Sermide (MN)
Phone: +39 386 915251
Fax: +39 386 915900
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.meloninadalini.com