The Mediterranean climate and the medium-textured soils, rich in minerals, are the most important contributors to the freshness, flavor, juiciness, and crunchiness of the Carota Novella di Ispica PGI.
© Gaetano Piccione | FP.comThe mechanized harvest may leave out some carrots, which will then be harvested by hand
"We foresee a further increase in the volume of branded products and an intensification of promotions aimed directly at the end consumer," said the president of the Consortium, Massimo Pavan, during the press tour held on 19 and 20 March.
© Gaetano Piccione | FP.comAgri-bins
Today, however, it is the innovation in the post-harvest stages, i.e., processing and packaging, that makes the difference. The producers' organizations, Colle D'Oro and Fonteverde, are among the most important operators in this sector, from field to packaging.
© Gaetano Piccione | FP.com
In particular, the visit of the journalists to the warehouse of the producers' organization, Fonteverde, was an important moment to learn about the processing of the Carota Novella di Ispica PGI. Here, it was Francesca Calabrese, the company's ADM & Finance, who illustrated some data and combined them with the technological innovations necessary to remain competitive with other domestic and international operators in the carrot sector. There are seventeen member companies that, in addition to carrots, supply the producers' organization with vegetables grown in greenhouses and polytunnels, such as courgettes, peppers, tomatoes, and others.
© Gaetano Piccione | FP.comFrancesca Calabrese explains how carrots are processed in the warehouse (Click here to see the photo album of the event)
"In recent years, we have invested significantly in renewable energy to reduce costs and make the company more sustainable," says Calabrese. "In 2011, we installed a solar photovoltaic system on the roof of one of our two plants and on two other smaller roofs. Since then, the company has built a new one on the roof of its main plant. The total capacity is more than 1 megawatt. The goal is to keep energy costs down through self-consumption and to contribute to our green strategy."
© Gaetano Piccione | FP.comVegetable processing line
"In 2024, the total turnover of the producers' organization was about 22 million euros. Of this, 7.6 million came from early carrots, our main product. In terms of volume, we processed about 95 tons of carrots, not limited only to the certified ones."
"We have recently modernized our early carrot processing plant and implemented new technologies," concludes the manager, "including two optical readers with artificial intelligence. The total investment was around 1.7 million euros. In addition, we have started the formal procedure to obtain the tax credit for this investment, and we are confident that we will be able to obtain it."
© Gaetano Piccione | FP.comCarrot processing at the OP Fonteverde warehouse
During the press event, the project 'La Carota Novella di Ispica PGI in Ho.Re.Ca.', financed by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF), was announced. The initiative is aimed at achieving the best and most technical events in the field of carrot production, dedicated to the operators of the restaurant and catering channel. Four seminars will be held in Catania (15 April), Ragusa (13 May), Palermo (16 May), and Enna (20 May).
For more information:
Massimo Pavan
+393351249484
info@carotanovellaigp.it