A fortnight ago the Italia grape began to be harvested in Apulia. The current season promises to be interesting from a commercial and qualitative point of view, but less so in terms of quantity.
Donato Fanelli, farmer and member of the Viva Frutta cooperative: "The intense and prolonged heatwaves of this scorching summer, which are expected to continue for most of September, have brought the start of the season forward by about 15 days, allowing us to guarantee crispness and a higher than expected sugar content, confirming the classic beauty and flavour of the golden Italia grapes. On the other hand, the yield was reduced by 20 to 30%. The shortage of plants allowed us to achieve very high quality standards."
The decline in availability is even more pronounced. "This reduction in volume in the field comes on top of the reduction in area due to varietal conversion. Quantities are down by up to 60% compared to the last two years. Vineyards in Italy are still being uprooted, while replanting is virtually non-existent as many foreign supermarkets have decided to remove traditional varieties from their shelves due to changing consumer habits. The campaign will be in full swing this week (the 36th in 2024). For the moment, prices are at the same level as in 2023, but given the downturn, the trend can only go upwards, as demand is expected to rise sharply from the beginning of September. In the domestic market, demand is satisfactory, while in Europe we will soon start deliveries in France, Spain and parts of Germany."
For more information:
Viva Frutta
Via Archimede 21,
70018 Rutigliano (Bari)
Tel.: (+39) 080 21 45 158
Donato Fanelli - sales manager
Tel.: (+39) 388 4783509
Email: [email protected]