Demand still lively for strawberries from southern Italy

Newswire

Rome: The strawberry campaign in southern Italy is still underway, and demand is still interesting, especially for the produce from Basilicata.

“Demand is lively, but the volumes are half those of a week ago. This means wholesale prices are around 30% higher than in late April. The season is almost over, but there is still a lot of interest for strawberries from Basilicata, probably due to the reduced availability of other summer fruits, also characterized by prices that are not affordable by all,” reports manager Francesco Nicodemo.

“Other Italian and foreign producer areas are also experiencing reduced yields. While volumes used to drop around May 20th-25th in previous years, this has happened early this season. The abnormal weather that characterized the 2023 campaign affected plant development. Plants started producing very early due to the mild temperatures in the fall, thus reducing availability towards the end of the season.”

Nicodemo explains that harvesting will continue until mid-June thanks to the almost 50 hectares of crops. “After this brief spell of unstable weather, the excellent light conditions and sunny days will grant a homogeneous and swift ripening, so we will end the campaign on a good note, also thanks to the strengthening of the Matera brand.”