Compared to apples, they represent a niche, but South Tyrolean small fruits commercialized by Asta Frutta are gaining in popularity, as confirmed by Markus Tscholl, coordinator of Asta Frutta Alto Adige.
"We are harvesting raspberries," he says, "and we will soon also be starting with cherries. In contrast, strawberries and blueberries have already been on the market for a few weeks. The feature that guarantees us quality and continuity of supply is the fact that the plants are all protected and therefore less prone to bad weather."
Going into detail, the plants are located up to 1,400 meters above sea level. The raspberry harvest, for example, began about ten days ago and will go on, very gradually, until the first frost at the end of October. Quality is good, as all production is protected by polytunnels. Raspberries are packaged in 30x40 cm boxes, 8 baskets with a total weight of 1 kg per box. Customers are mostly wholesale markets in northern and central Italy. The price at the beginning of the week was satisfactory."
All products are sorted and precalibrated in the countryside. Cherries are packed in 30x40 boxes and 6 450-gram baskets per box; raspberries and blueberries in 125-gram baskets, 8 per box; strawberries and cherries in 250-gram trays in 2-kg boxes per package.
"Our customers," Tscholl concludes, "are mostly wholesale markets throughout northern and central Italy. Specialty stores and small large-scale retail chains sometimes ask from us directly. And we are always available to provide any information."
For more information: 
Asta Frutta Alto Adige
Vilpiano (BZ),
+39/0471 676511
[email protected]
www.astafrutta.it