According to marketing body CSO, Italy's strawberry exports fell last year to around 18,000 tonnes. Germany, the country's number one export destination for strawberries, took a smaller amount in 2007, although in Spain, the UK and Slovenia there were noticeable increases in sales.
In Italy, sales volumes have grown in the last two years, contributing to an overall increase of almost 15 per cent between 2000 and 2007. Last year, Italians consumed a total of 69,800 tonnes of the fruit, 2 per cent higher than in 2006. Production fell by 5 per cent in both 2006 and 2007, bolstering domestic prices, but last year's strong sales have encouraged new production, pushing planted area to 3,750ha.
