La Libellula commercial farm, located in Arcene (Lombardy), grows vegetables destined to the IQF range industry on 16 covered acres and 5 open field acres.
It cultivates lettuce and corn salad, as well as rocket and spinach between spring and autumn. All of these baby leaf salads are selected, washed and packed in single or mixed bags or trays.
La Libellula supplies packed salads to Italian processors. A small part is destined to the packed unwashed industry and to dealers for exports. The product is palletized in crates mostly owned by the clients and is then delivered by the company's refrigerator trucks.
Alessandro, how's the market and price trend doing with respect to the same period last year?
"There's not much difference in prices compared to 2012 however, there haven't been particularly good weeks as regards sales because supply is higher than demand. What is more, as the years go by the increase of land destined to the IQF range is leading to a decrease in revenues for primary producers."
What are the main challenges for those wanting to export?
"Especially in the South of Italy, many commercial farms are specializing in export trade. However, they need to be either quite big or be supported by commercial companies that guarantee an optimisation of logistics and supply continuity. Production in our area peaks at a time when foreign countries in Northern Europe are also producing. What is certain is that stagnation of national demand will in turn lead to the need for new outlets: corn salad, for example, is typically grown in winter, but it could also be marketed during spring and fall."
Would you be able to make a prediction for the future?
"The consumption crisis and the increase of cultivated land, together with saturated demand will make it harder to sell surplus products at the conditions set in the contracts we have now," concluded Alessandro Lubrano.
For more information:
La Libellula S.S. Agricola
Cell. (+39) 392 9814455
Fax: (+39) 035 0690053
Email: [email protected]
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