"We have entered the final phase of the citrus fruit campaign with the late varieties of Tarocco," reports Mimmo Fisicaro, sales manager of the producer organisation Opi Sicula, alongside his brother Domenico Fisicaro.
"With the available volumes of Meli and Sant'Alfio Tarocco, we will barely reach the Easter holidays, and then we will start with Valencia and Ovale Valle Dell'Anapo oranges. For a number of reasons, this year has been characterised by fruit in smaller sizes and volumes, although quality has been optimal."
© OPI SICULA O.P. SOC. COOP. AGR.In the photo, Opi Sicula sales manager Mimmo Fisicaro, agronomist and technical manager of Opi Sicula Adriana Fazio, president of the PO Sammy Fisicaro, and administrative manager Lidia Cimino.
Opi Sicula is an agricultural cooperative based in Pedagaggi, Carlentini, now in its tenth year of activity: it was founded by a group of producers who mainly cultivated table grapes in the Mazzarrone area, but its main crops also include citrus fruits. We are talking about a bottom-up participatory model, which is made up of the various skills and life and professional experiences of all producers. There are 112 members, with a total of 1110 hectares cultivated in the provinces of Catania, Syracuse, and Ragusa. The supply calendar is vast and varied: it includes a wide range of citrus fruits, table grapes, pomegranates, and summer fruit."
© OPI SICULA O.P. SOC. COOP. AGR.
"At Macfrut, we will bring a sampling of seasonal products - in particular, citrus fruits and our Romanesco artichoke - with the aim of attracting buyers and visitors. We will be exhibiting alongside another PO, A.BIO.MED Società Cooperativa Agricola di Ragusa. The project has led to the establishment of a new organisation, i.e., AOP Val di Noto. This is the first recognised association of producer organisations in Sicily, boasting around 600 members and almost 4,000 hectares of fruit and vegetables certified according to the ISCC Plus standard, which certifies sustainability for both the environment and for people," explains Semmy Fisicaro, vice president of AOP Val di Noto.
© OPI SICULA O.P. SOC. COOP. AGR.
"The artichoke campaign, which will continue until the end of May, is proceeding quite well despite the difficulties related to the weather conditions. We have, in fact, gone from a persistent drought to the excessive rainfall of the last period. At a commercial level, there was a slight drop in consumption after a lively start to the campaign, although prices remained within the average range. This can be explained by the fact that other production areas - both in Italy and abroad - have also placed a significant quantity of product on the markets," explains production manager Giuseppe Brancato.
© Gaetano Piccione | FreshPlaza.com
'The international market manifests not only growing expectations, but also increasingly specific needs. For this reason, it becomes essential to adopt strategic planning in synergy with reliable and efficient forms of aggregation in order to anticipate changes and tackle the challenges that the sector will face in the coming years with awareness," concludes Domenico Fisicaro.
Opi Sicula and AOP Val di Noto will be at Macfrut 2025 (Rimini, 6-8 May) in Hall D3 / Stand 71.
For more information
OPI Sicula O.P. Soc. Coop. Agr.
Registered office: C/da Pezzagrande sn
96013 Pedagaggi - Carlentini (SR)
Head office: Viale del Lavoro, 5
95040 Mazzarrone (CT)
+39 333 2049786 / +39 333 3211296
opisicula@gmail.com