"The first part of the season was made difficult by overproduction, as the produce from the Veneto (Chioggia) and Lazio (Maccarrese) was still available, as well as the first quantities from Abruzzo (Fucino). The higher supply and stable demand led to decreasing prices. In addition, consumption has been slow up until today and, compared with a normal year, the volumes absorbed by the market are slightly lower," says Marco Di Cicco, sales manager at Opoa Marsia, a cooperative that grows produce on the Fucino plain, and especially fennel, potatoes and carrots available 12 months a year.
Fabio Ciaccia, Luigi D'Apice and Marco Di Cicco, respectively CEO, President and Sales Manager at Opoa Marsia.
"In the Fucino area, we process local carrots between mid-June and December while, during the rest of the year, we commercialize those from Lazio and Sicily. Despite the current situation, we are optimistic about the second part of the season. Production in other Italian areas should diminish/end and we should manage to normalize prices or at least control them more. Produce from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK is also available at the same time as ours. We usually do not export traditional carrots, as they are destined to the domestic market, but we do export a few small quantities of the organic produce."
Carrots from Fucino available and processed at Opoa Marsia.
This year, Opoa Marsia has had to deal with no extreme weather events. "We know Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have had a few difficulties due to the excessive and prolonged rain, a bit like us last season. It is still unclear whether their lower availability could be an advantage for us. We hope so, although more and more players are present on the market when it comes to carrots as well as potatoes and onions. These three products are affected by foreign influence a lot, unlike fennel or radicchio."
New fennel processing center, the largest in Europe.
"We need to focus more on crop programming"
"Unfortunately we are noticing a lack of crop programming, so there are times when the market is saturated, which is what is currently happening. At Opoa Marsia, we try to plan almost the entire production instead, at least 80%. As we are among the main fennel growers in Italy, we must program crops, as this vegetable is very expensive to cultivate: just think that harvesting and a few processing phases are still carried out by hand." The model valid for fennel management is used for other crops as well.
Just over a year after the inauguration of the largest fennel processing center in Europe, D'Apice reports that "the new facility is fully operational and the machines are definitely helping us understand where and how we can improve. Thanks to the investments made, we have appreciated the changes implemented and those to be implemented during the cultivation and processing phases. The new facility was set up to increase the produce processed and operate better on all levels (management, labor, logistics)."
The largest fennel processing center in Europe.
Over the past four years, Opoa Marsia's turnover went from €30 to €60 million while maintaining the same volumes sold. "This is proof of how, by planning crops and implementing a more precise cost management, it is possible to have higher average prices."
Photos provided by Marco Di Cicco - Opoa Marsia
For more information:
Marco Di Cicco - sales manager
+39 349 3948744
[email protected]
Opoa Marsia
via Marco Antonio Colonna
67051 Avezzano (AQ) - Italy
Tel.: +39 0863 441705
[email protected]
www.opoamarsia.it