It is usually not difficult to find pallets of fresh Italian table grapes during the Christmas period. This year, however, it was not so easy for consumers to purchase high-quality Italian grapes.
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"It was the Christmas with the lowest availability of Italian grapes on the market. The persistently wet weather affected quality. In addition, the high temperatures made the bunches perish quicker," reports Donato Fanelli, an entrepreneur based in Conversano (Bari) and member of the Italian Table Grapes Commission (CUT).
The strategies to extend the season with the help of field techniques and storage methods in air-conditioned environments did not work as expected during the holiday period. Mainly for climatic reasons, it was not possible to maintain the integrity and freshness of the produce.
"The abnormal weather since the beginning of December, characterized by a high humidity level, contributed to the onset of fungal diseases (botrytis) that have made the produce unsuitable for commercialization, so much so that many retail chains chose to source grapes from abroad."
"This year, supermarket flyers were brimming with special offers for other products such as apples, kiwifruit and clementines. Some chains in Puglia promoted Italia grapes at €2.50/kg, however bunches were not appealing. The fruit would not have withstood being shipped long-distance and plants and grapes were visibly stressed, with bunches that blackened right after being harvested."