The persistently high temperatures in Sicily are having a corresponding effect on citrus fruit growth. "We continue to have daytime temperatures of around 30-35 degrees and night-time temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees. However, the colouring of the fruit is heavily dependent on the temperature differences between day and night, which are not the case at the moment. This means that although most lemons are ripe, they are still very green. Patrizia Lombardo-Hennecke, Co-Managing Director of Domenico di Paola GmbH, based in Munich.
The same applies to oranges from Sicilian cultivation, continues Lombardo. "The start of the season is extremely late this year. We normally start everything in mid-October, but this year the whole thing will probably be three to four weeks late. But if there is a drop in temperature next week, the situation could change completely again. It's difficult to predict at the moment."
© Domenico di Paola GmbH
Organic oranges of the Navel variety
Verdelli summer lemon
Founded in 1956, Domenico di Paola GmbH specialises in the cultivation and sale of conventionally and organically produced fruit and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes and grapes. The company offers Sicilian lemons twelve months a year. "We trade the Verdelli variety as a summer lemon, which is usually a little greener and more difficult to market in Germany due to its colour. The fact that we have had consistently high temperatures and little rain has resulted in good yields."
Over the years, however, the peak season for citrus fruits has become increasingly concentrated in the period from December to June. "The demand for organic citrus has remained pretty much the same. However, we have noticed that the big push in the run-up to Christmas has become somewhat smaller. In my opinion, this is also due to the economic situation," says Lombardo. However, there is no sign of any significant reluctance to buy organic produce. "We have been seeing a certain reluctance to buy organic lemons for some years now, which is why they are increasingly being offered as untreated, conventional products. For organic vegetables, such as tomatoes and courgettes, we are seeing stable to slightly increasing demand."
Fierce price war for organic oranges
In the case of organic oranges, on the other hand, the differences between producer and retail prices have often been too great in recent years. Lombardo: "The difficult price negotiations have meant that the season has only lasted a few weeks for some chains, after which the fruit has been delisted again." As in other product segments, competition in the (organic) citrus sector is tending to increase. "Spain and Italy are still the most important citrus-growing countries, although Greece has also been rapidly gaining in importance in recent years. This has also prompted some Sicilian growers to cultivate exotic fruits such as papaya, mango and avocados, which we can also supply on request."
Growth potential for Naturland products
In addition to the German food retail and natural food specialist trade, Domenico di Paola GmbH also serves retail chains in Central and Eastern Europe. "We are finding it extremely difficult to sell organic produce in these countries, as the eastern states continue to rely heavily on conventional products. If there is a promotion with organic produce, it is really only selective. There are hardly any long-term programmes." Overall, she is positive about the future. "I continue to see potential in the Naturland sector in particular. In general, I have noticed that the market has catapulted very strongly towards direct purchasing from producers in recent years, which is gradually being reversed because people have realised that a good procurement point is worth more than ten to 15 smaller producers."
For more information:
Patrizia Lombardo-Hennecke
Domenico di Paola GmbH
Kochelseestrasse 10
81371 München
Telefon: +49 (0)89 - 77 20 17
Telefax: +49 (0)89 - 77 95 46
E-Mail: info@domenicodipaola.de
www.domenicodipaola.de