It is a well-known fact that the radicchio market has been going through a difficult patch for several months now, a fact also confirmed by Giuseppe Boscolo Palo, External Relations Manager of the Consortium for the Protection of Radicchio di Chioggia Igp. "Prices are low, in some cases they have plummeted to €0.20/kg for round radicchio, but also for the other types. And it is a situation that has been going on for several months. Many farms will be forced to close down."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.com
"While many local farms have closed down or are about to close down due to a lack of generational turnover, and because of the constant crises in the price of radicchio sold below the cost of production, they are being replaced in our area by other companies with non-EU owners. In practice, many foreign farmers are renting or buying land in the Chioggia area to produce radicchio. They manage to get by despite these prices and are actually acquiring more and more land. How can they be so efficient?"
In a recent press statement, even the former local Coldiretti secretary, who has worked in the area for 43 years, has confirmed this trend of foreign, mostly North African, entrepreneurs setting up in Chioggia.
"We are also worried," concludes Boscolo Palo, thinking about the spring product. "If the cold storage units are still full of autumn produce, the risk is that prices will not take off. The hope, of course, is that the new production will be recognised as the right value."
Giuseppe Boscolo Palo
"The low prices of recent months have several causes. Certainly, there is more produce available compared to that consumed. In all the production areas of Italy, I'm thinking of Fucino and Marche, as well as the Veneto, the weather has allowed us to produce a lot, and there have been no viruses that have reduced yields. We are in a year of full production, and this is being reflected in the markets."
Among other things, Boscolo Paolo points out that, until a decade ago, the hectares cultivated with radicchio in Italy were actually larger than they are today. "I notice that some supermarket chains are pushing sales with promotions. But this does not seem to be enough."
For more information:
www.radicchiodichioggiaigp.it
