A complete, highly innovative plant, specifically designed for the processing of peaches, flat nectarines and pears, to guarantee the best possible packaging of these particularly delicate fruits, while at the same time allowing the automation of the various stages, thus reducing the need for human resources compared to traditional plants. Agrintesa plans ahead and, thanks to its collaboration with Unitec, has invested in its plant in Bagnacavallo (Ravenna - Emilia Romagna), one of the most advanced production sites in the fruit and vegetable sector.
The new plant is equipped with the best technology available on the market today. It is capable of handling very delicate fruit with non-uniform dimensions, such as flat peaches and pears, with high efficiency, optimising all stages of processing through to final packaging.
"Peaches, nectarines and pears have always been among the most prestigious products of our members," says Agrintesa's General Manager, Cristian Moretti, "and are the expression of highly specialised supply chains that require constant investment in varietal innovation, as in the case of the Ondine flat nectarine, a project for which we have committed to planting around 200 hectares, to be completed by 2025."
Cristian Moretti.
"The entire production, estimated at around 6,000 tons, will be processed at our plant in
Bagnacavallo and packaged in one of the most innovative and specific plants in Europe, capable of handling and inspecting thousands of fruits per hour, guaranteeing customers and consumers the quality they expect. After an initial phase focused on the development of Ondine varieties and the acquisition of specific agronomic skills, the aim of this important investment is to complete the project with the management and quality control of the product in the warehouse."
"I believe that the collaboration between Unitec and Agrintesa has resulted in a rewarding and innovative project", says Raffaele Benedetti of Unitec (photo on the right), "a versatile plant that guarantees high efficiency and reliable external and internal quality classification, which can process products all year round, especially flat peaches and pears, which have very different characteristics and are extremely delicate."
Thanks to the feeding system, the containers and crates to be processed are handled by a robotic system that gently dumps them into the water, avoiding collisions between the fruits and preserving their integrity.
The product is then processed by the UNICAL 10.0 grading machine, which is equipped not only with the size and weight grading system, but also with Unitec's innovative Peach Vision and Pear Vision quality classification systems, which make it possible to analyse the colour and external and internal quality of each individual peach, nectarine or pear with extreme reliability, detecting any defects with extreme precision, selecting them by degree of ripeness and thus guaranteeing a certain standard of quality.
The plant also uses a system of automatic crate fillers, which allow some or all of the product to be pre-calibrated in crates, guaranteeing greater versatility for different processes and facilitating the handling and packaging of the fruit, thus greatly improving the efficiency of the entire process.
The innovative system is completed by its integration with three different types of packaging systems. These have been specifically designed to handle different types of packaging, such as alveoli, crates and trays, with particular attention paid to the processing of the latter for flat nectarines. The aim is to allow operators to focus on specific tasks, increasing productivity and customisation.
The fruit is sold through the Alegra Group, Agrintesa's business partner and reference point for the main national and international supermarket chains.
Enrico Bucchi.
"The 2024 campaign for peaches and nectarines is in full swing and can count on good product availability and high quality," says Enrico Bucchi, Sales Manager for Italy at Alegra. "Crunchy, juicy and fragrant, Ondine nectarines, for which Agrintesa is one of the few selected production partners authorised by the International Club, are increasingly winning over consumers. The new processing plant in Bagnacavallo will make it possible to process this new product extremely efficiently, guaranteeing the packaging of only the best fruit for an incomparable consumer experience."
For more information:
Coop Agrintesa
Via G. Galilei, 15
48018 Faenza (RA)
Tel.: +39 0546.619111
Email: [email protected]
www.agrintesa.it
Unitec Group
Via Prov.le Cotignola, 20/9
48022 Lugo (RA) - Italy
Tel.: +39 0545 288884
Email: [email protected]
www.unitec-group.com