"For months, we have been asking big retail chains for 10 eurocents more per kg for producers. They refused to pay them and now we are lacking the produce as producers are tired to lose money: the same chains are suddenly willing to purchase fennel whatever the price. I do not think this was a clever move," reports Marco Babbi from Finò.
"Everyone is complaining due to the lack of fennel and is willing to pay a lot of it. However, most never get out of their offices and do not know how things work in the fields. They never come to visit, they never get their shoes dirty. And they do not listen to us: if us operators ask for 10 eurocents more for the survival for the chain, we do so because we know how things work, not because we want to speculate."
Producers need to be safeguarded, otherwise Italy will soon find itself without produce, and not just fennel. "If consumers paid e.g. €1.79/kg last year instead of €1.69, would consumption have dropped? I do not think so! And why should everything be sold at €3.50/kg now? I do not mean to generalize, but not all buyers are professionals and they just think about following the tables and spending as little as possible. But always thinking about achieving the lowest price possible means stepping on the dignity and work of many people along the chain."
Marco Babbi is both angry and worried
Marco Babbi proposes a new way: "as a company, we are willing to propose fixed prices according to the different geographical areas and periods. Having fluctuating quotations is not helping anyone and it confuses consumers. We could have fixed prices to make the whole chain profit and guarantee procurement. We want to collaborate with big retail chains and not be forced to pray for the weather to be good or beg for a few cents."
Visits to the fields and facilities, fixed prices, dialogue and negotiations to establish special promotions based on specific criteria and not on the previous year or on what competitors are doing: Finò is willing to set up a constructive dialogue with the Italian and foreign big retail chains.
For further information
Caligari & Babbi srl
Via Pietà, 77
Savignano su Rubicone (FC)
+39 0541 942599
[email protected]
www.finocchioitaliano.com