Harvesting of Borettana onions started last week in Reggio Emilia and yields are looking 10-15% higher than last year.
"The good news is that, this year, the percentage of marketable grades is of over 80% and quality is very good," reports Matteo Freddi from Freddi Prodotti Ortofrutticoli.
Borettana onions.
The first onions have arrived on the market this week at high prices even though the price of classic golden onions is quite low. Wholesale prices are €1.20-1.30/kg and will decrease as more produce becomes available. "They should settle at around 80 cents €1/kg, as clients are willing to spend a little more for Borettana onions."
The third year of the Borettana Zero Difetti project ended in the past few weeks. "We would like to create an open club to gather producers, traders, cooperatives and processors so we can schedule production."
Borettana onions in bags with the Freddi logo.
The aim is to try and do what Opera is doing for pears. "Over the years, Italy has lost market shares in France, the UK and Germany and other producers, like for example Australia, are getting organised. I am not afraid of Italian competitors, but I do fear the foreign ones."
"There is a set number of onion operators in Emilia-Romagna and I don't see why we shouldn't talk. Spain did it and is now selling to the UK, Brazil and Taiwan. On our own, we can work on mere cents, but is not the right tactic if we want to create a future for our sector. We need to have the volumes and check on the seeds and areas cultivated, focus on R&D and on marketing and take on a few risks by sending a couple of containers to a new market once in a while. This is the objective of the Borettana Zero Difetti project."
Contacts:
Freddi Prodotti Ortofrutticoli S.n.c.
Via Lama, 41
Calerno di S. Ilario d'Enza (RE)
Tel.: (+39) 0522 679831
Fax: (+39) 0522 679854
Email: commerciale@cipollefreddi.it
Web: www.cipollefreddi.it
Author: Andrea Minghelli
Copyright: www.freshplaza.it