"The situation is pretty complicated because we now have excessive humidity and a slight mist that is damaging the table grape production. The situation is not only affecting the Taranto area, but the Bari one as well."
"We cannot say when the campaign will end. Before the bad weather, we thought we would carry on until January 2014, considering the produce in cold storage units. Now there's no way to know."
"We are worried about humidity and mist, as they will continue this week too and they do damage to such a delicate product. At the moment, Italia and Red Globe were being harvested, whereas we had finished with Palieri. Crimson seedless grapes are still available."
"At a commercial level, both domestically and abroad, there will be less produce and the quality might be contested. Then of course producers and operators will try to market more quantities than what demanded."
Suglia points out that there is no lack of produce at the moment and adds that grape consumption is decreasing not so much for the weather, but rather because there are new seasonal products on the market such as clementines.
Contacts:
Giacomo Suglia
APEO Puglia
Email: apeopuglia@libero.it