"After the excellent results of 2024, we will increase the areas dedicated to Dolce Passione watermelons: the goal is to reach 400 hectares, a leap forward of almost 100 hectares compared to the season just ended," reported the representatives of the Dolce Passione consortium, the black-skinned, seedless midi watermelon.
The first of the meetings with the Consortium's production base was recently held at the headquarters of Op Alma Seges in Battipaglia (Salerno). Alma Seges is a member of the Dolce Passione Consortium, the alliance that brings together Cico-Mazzoni Srl, Lamboseeds, Lorenzini Naturamica, and Ortofrutta Castello, set up in 2023 with the aim of producing and marketing a seedless black-skinned watermelon, exclusively Italian from genetics to production.
President Roberto Castello (all photos from the archive)
During the meeting, Luciano Trentini, Director of the Consortium, said that "the Consortium's promotional activities and our participation in national and international events to promote the Dolce Passione watermelon in national and European big retail chains and in European markets will continue in 2025. The Consortium will attend Marca in Bologna (15 - 16 January 2025) and Fruit Logistica in Berlin, where a presentation dedicated to buyers will be held on 6th February. Participation in the trade fairs scheduled for 2025 will end with Macfrut (6-8 May), which will coincide with the release on the market of the first early fruits produced in Sicily."
Left to right: Roberto Castello, Carmine Alfano, Matteo Mazzoni, Stefano Rossi, Luciano Trentini
The meeting in Battipaglia aimed to illustrate to producers the new lines aimed at reducing environmental impact to meet consumer demands. After the greetings of the Op Alma Seges vice-president Aristide Valente and commercial director Carmine Alfano, Roberto Castello (president of the Dolce Passione Consortium) spoke about the objectives and the results achieved so far. According to the Consortium's first indications, cultivation will take place in at least 10 regions for about 400 planned hectares.
Carmine Alfano
Ferruccio Petrarchin, a technician at Cico-Mazzoni Srl, discussed the phytosanitary problems of watermelons and the new techniques that producers will have to apply in the future by implementing strategic defense synergies involving the use of chemicals, resistance-inducers, and biostimulants, with the aim of eliminating or minimizing the presence of pesticide residues on the fruit, also in anticipation of other cuts to the active ingredients still on the market today.
Luciano Trentini
Luciano Trentini then gave an overview of watermelon cultivation in the global, European, and domestic contexts, also providing some innovative technical insights into the use of biodegradable plastics as a means of reducing the use of chemical herbicides.
In 2024, the Consortium distributed a hundred branded refrigerated counters in as many supermarkets. Although the variety has an average weight, many consumers prefer to buy fruits already cut in half or quarters. "Managing logistics is more complicated, but being first gives us an advantage and considerable feedback from the big retail chains," said Trentini.
Sandro Colombi (Lambo Seeds)
Sandro Colombi of Lamboseeds outlined the new lines of research on this species, bringing to light the innovations that are to be developed and that could be a plus for Consortium members in the future.
Group photo during a field event in July 2024
Also invited to the meeting was Nello Palermo of Raggio Verde - Passion for Innovation, who presented the latest innovations on enhancing endogenous plant resistance and the use of natural soil fertility regenerators against soil fatigue in areas of high production intensification.
For more information 
Consorzio Dolce Passione
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