Despite a complex season marked by lower-than-expected yields and increasingly unpredictable weather, the Sila PGI potato campaign that has just ended can be considered "positive overall". This is what was reported by Albino Carli, director of Consorzio Produttori Patate Associati-PPAS (Consortium of Associated Potato Producers-PPAS), while making an assessment that also considers critical issues and future prospects.
Albino Carli
Low yields but stable prices for branded potatoes
"We ended with satisfying volumes, even though production was lower than expected," says Carli. The decisive factor was the maintenance of a fair price level for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) potatoes, which almost equalled the quotations of the previous year. The result will have positive repercussions on final payments to members. The standard product, on the other hand, suffered more due to the greater pressure from foreign produce and a more abundant domestic supply.
Once again, the weather played a decisive role. 2023 was marked by heavy and delayed rainfall, while 2024 saw the arrival of high temperatures as early as spring. "The heat inhibited the plants in the crucial vegetation phase. Despite well-executed sowing, even in advance, yields were unsatisfactory," explains Carli. And, as he highlights, there is little to be done against adverse weather conditions: "We try to parry the blow and give the product delivered by the members as much value as possible."
© Maria Luigia Brusco | FreshPlaza.com
The next campaign? Still marked by uncertain weather
Looking to the future, sowing for the next campaign is off to a good start. "So far, everything has gone well, but we will have to wait and see how summer goes," warns Carli. The signs are not the best: "Over the past ten days, we have already exceeded 30 °C in the mountains and have experienced hailstorms. The situation is not calm, but we must be confident. The weather remains the most decisive variable."
Calabrian newcomers and sweet potatoes: Regional production grows
Meanwhile, PPAS continues to invest in new potatoes in the Calabrian coastal areas. "We have added new areas again this year: we are talking about new potatoes, with around 30 hectares dedicated to the standard ones." Harvesting is now coming to an end, with lively markets until early June, and is now physiologically slower due to the heat, which drives down consumption. "Everything is normal."
Work is also continuing when it comes to sweet potatoes, with a 20% increase in areas compared to last year. A sign of continuity for a project in which the cooperative has been investing for years.
Seeds and innovation: ahead with aeroponics
One of the main future challenges is the supply of seeds, which is increasingly uncertain. In collaboration with other partners, PPAS is pursuing an aeroponic multiplication project that was presented at Macfrut (see FreshPlaza of 9/05/2025). "It is a process that offers us advantages in terms of quantity and shortening of crop cycles. We do not intend to replace Northern European suppliers, but to have an alternative."
This is an increasingly urgent necessity, in light of the significant reduction in areas destined for seeds in Northern European countries: "Over the last two years, the drop has been more than 25%. Hence, the idea of enhancing the Sila area as a territory suitable for the multiplication of seed tubers, with development prospects for other areas as well."
© Maria Luigia Brusco | FreshPlaza.com
In a production framework that is increasingly affected by the climate and the volatility of global markets, PPAS is working on resilience, innovation, and the promotion of the territory with a realistic yet determined look towards the future.
For more information:
Consorzio produttori patate associati Soc. Coop. Agricola
C/da Garga 4 - S.S. 107 km 83,400
87055 San Giovanni in Fiore (CS) - Italy
[email protected]
www.patateppas.it
