This was due to a slightly lower production than usual (the refrigerated produce should still last until early May) and to the low temperatures in January, which pushed consumption. "The onion market is unfortunately much heavier."
Davide Marmocchi, from "Marmocchi Angiolino" in Santa Maria Codifiume (Ferrara), confirms that "we worked hard up until the end of January, then February was calmer. Now there are slower days and days when everybody's calling asking for produce."
"The price of french tubers is holding up, which is good for us too. In addition, I have heard that the German produce has internal browning problems, which could favour Italian potatoes even more."
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The only doubt concerns the overlap between new potatoes from Sicily and Puglia. "It may be too soon to talk about it, but we will need to verify whether the two productions will be available one after the other or at the same time because of the weird weather of the past few weeks."
Marmocchi also reports that the onion market is not going well.