The dynamics of the prices of lemons must be kept under observation: the prices, in fact, risk to swell more than it would be logical to expect from the current market situation. There is demand, production is lower than last year, measures to counter the spread of coronavirus increase operational and logistical costs … But if prices go out of the market then there is a risk of a boomerang effect. The analysis is by Antonio Fricano, president of Op Aposicilia and Bia, consortium of producers of organic fruit and vegetables.

“The lemon is in the middle of the agricultural harvest season, we are working with the primofiore and we will do it for the whole month of April: there are those who have an interest in raising the price of the citrus fruit and spreading news of requests in vertiginous increase, but this, in addition not being the mirror of the market, it is risky – explains Fricano to Italiafruit News – we only work with large supermarket chains and carry on our work as always, physiologically increasing the price of lemons by a few cents a kilo to cover the greater expenses that have in this period. But I have seen prices out of the market, on average we are more than 20% higher than last year, in the gardens it has a range between 0.80 and 1 euro per kilo. We are trying to balance the prices: in this historical moment serves responsible behavior that removes any speculation “.

Rising prices are also due to the lower availability of lemons, but the president of Aposicilia (almost 400 hectares dedicated to citrus) reiterates that “there is no shortage of product, however the campaign is complex. Not much has arrived from Spain , the growing demand for large-scale retail trade counteracts the slowed down wholesale markets and the practically stopped Horeca: overall there is no increase in consumption, but only a concentration on the retail channel. And organic consumption is aligned to those of the conventional “.

The lack of manpower in the field is a concrete problem, notes Fricano and Italian products will be lacking in the coming months. As aforementioned, Aposicilia will work with the primofiore for the whole month of April, from May we will switch to bianchetto and shortly after the middle of next month it is legitimate to imagine an early campaign of the verdello: we will start earlier but it will end even earlier than usual.

In Sicily the campaign of new potatoes has just started, to which the Op of Bagheria (Palermo) dedicates about 60 hectares. “Production and yields are very low – the president analyzes – In the winter we had three months of drought, while the potato requires water: we intervened with emergency irrigation, but the volumes will be limited. The market is still confused at the moment: the product is of fair quality, the demand for potatoes is sustained, but it is not clear if the tubers will be properly valued. Certainly – concludes Antonio Fricano – the commercial window of the short stories will be shorter than usual “.

Finally, among the first fruits, the Sicilian OP has started the marketing of the first early white-fruit medlars, both organic and conventional, this year particularly sweet due to the low winter rainfall.

Thursday 16 April 2020

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