"The data on organic production are positive and show a sector that continues to grow. Nevertheless, some scandals in the past have brought to light shadows that still hang over the sector. Thanks to the increase in organic areas, Italian production accounts for about one fifth of the total (19.8%), figures that are therefore close to the 25% target set by the European Commission as part of the Farm to Fork strategy, to be reached by 2030," explains Vincenzo Arcoria who, since 2004, has been at the helm, together with his brother Giosuè, of Agricola Arcoria, a citrus farm located in the heart of the Catania Plain.
The business, founded back in 1950 by his grandfather Vincenzo Arcoria, and later managed by his son Antonino, is now in its third generation. On its 120 hectares, Agricola Arcoria cultivates a wide range of citrus fruits employing organic cultivation techniques, and marketed under the Agrumepuro brand. 80% of the groves have been renewed by introducing new cultivars, both early and late. The production encompasses a wide commercial calendar, starting in October with Miyagawa and Clemenrubi, continuing with Newhall and Fukumoto, then with Tarocco nucellare, Moro, Ippolito in December and until April, and finally ending with Navel Powell and Valencia at the end of May. New introductions include the production of pink grapefruit and Tarocco Lempso. The company is also working on the production of a niche wine, from vineyards close to Mount Etna.
"Given that cultivating organically is an ethical choice to which we are fully committed - as we are when it comes to the fight against caporalato (forced labour) and to a fair pay packet for workers - we are also aware that we have a great responsibility to counteract the climate change that is taking place. Halting pollution and the loss of biodiversity, as well as all kinds of predation against nature, is the mission we have been pursuing for 20 years to stop environmental destruction with sustainable behaviour. On the production side, those who have had the perseverance to irrigate will obtain a good product, something that will also determine the size of the fruits, and thus also the price differential with respect to smaller sized ones. What is certain is that it will be difficult to cover the production costs, because we have invested a lot in reservoirs and irrigation."
"To complete the company's range, we have also developed a line of homemade jellies and jams available in 330 gram format, using all the citrus varieties we produce. A growing market, albeit a very difficult one to preside over, due to it being saturated. We manage because we combine different souls, as we are producers, wholesalers and retailers, with a sales outlet in the Veneto, in Caselle di Altivole, in the Treviso province. There we carry out retail and wholesale sales without intermediates, directly to consumers."
Agrume Puro-branded products.
"The company has photovoltaic systems, plus the land is served by state-of-the-art automated irrigation systems and equipment for organic weed control, as well as environmentally-friendly fertilisation systems with manure and green manure. Fertigation is governed by a complex system of software and hardware, capable of calculating and supplying exactly the nutrients the soil and plants need. Online sales are growing, not only as retail sales to families or groups of families - who, together, place large orders for assorted citrus fruits - but also chain shops that buy selected citrus fruits in bulk through our online channel in Italy and abroad, including France and Germany."
For more information:
Azienda Agricola Arcoria
Contrada Sferro
95047 Paternò (CT) - Italy
+39 393 8433714
+39 349 2921503
[email protected]
www.agrumepuro.com