OP Monte
"Italy: "This year change in competition with Spanish and Greek citrus"
The PO (Producers Organization) Monte operates in the Calabria region (Southern Italy) and sells citrus - mainly oranges and Clementine Naveline and Moro - on Italian and foreign markets. The harvest calendar covers the period from October to May.
Francesco Sorace , vice president of Monte PO said about the current citrus marketing season: "The mild autumn weather has delayed the ripening of citrus fruit about 10 days. Due to the delay in the maturation, there is a consequent 'accumulation' of demand that, as a result, has generated high prices. At the moment the demand is very lively.
According to Francesco: "The international competition is not lacking, it's always 'active', especially with Spaniards and Greeks. However this year Spain has less citrus crop (about 30%), while Greece has had quality issues due to the Mediterranean fly, which affected a large part of the early product. "
This situation is confirmed by a strong demand for clementines from Russia, a country which, as the entrepreneur says: "Until last year, during the same period, turned almost exclusively to the Greek product".
In the field of citrus fruit, the main markets of the PO Monte are: Russia, Poland, Denmark, Romania, Italy and Germany.
Contacts:
Francesco Sorace
Organizzazione Produttori MONTE
c.da Fegotto n. 15
89024 Polistena (RC) - Italy
Phone: +39 0966 940632/933518
Fax: +39 0966 940712
www.opmonte.it