Berries are big news for Ortofruit Italia this year, according to company representative, Carlo Manzo.
The Italian company will produce its first commercial harvest of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries in 2005 and is hoping to collaborate with other local co-operatives to export the latest product in its expanding portfolio.
Ortofruit Italia is an organisation of co-operatives based in Piedmont. It prides itself on the regional identity of its fruit and is expecting to receive the official PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) certification for berries - as well as red apples - next month, according to Manzo.
The organisation specialises in growing crops that are traditionally associated with the Piedmont region, referred to as “the territorial specials” and berries fit very nicely into that categorisation.
The widespread use of protective covering for the crop has protected it from the cold snap that hit Italy earlier this year and stands Ortofruit in good stead for the seasons to come, Manzo says.
It is still early days for the organisation however. Ortofruit Italia was only formed in May 2003 and has already recruited an additional two co-operatives this year, bringing its total to six.
In fact, Ortofruit is hoping to alleviate Piedmont’s fragmented berry production in order to expand export potential for the sector, Manzo claims. “We would like to enlarge the number of co-operatives in the organisation to sell more fruit because in Piedmont not all of the growers are working for co-operatives and many are still selling on their own in both the domestic and international markets,” says Manzo. “The problem is they generally want to stay independent so it is difficult to assure them to come into the co-operatives.”
Another top Italian producer Garden Frutta has joined forces with berry producers in Uruguay to strengthen its position in the European market.
On an annual basis, the company produces around 500 tonnes of strawberries and 300t of other berries, including raspberries and blackberries. It has also recently started to grow the berry line that is capturing most headlines in the UK press, blueberries.
By acquiring a farm in Uruguay and diverting production to its mountain sites in the autumn, the company has extended its season to offer a consistent range of varieties across the summer and winter months, says commercial representative, Passerini Renzo.
He expresses confidence that export volumes would increase right across the European market, including into the UK.
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