The production and commercial campaign of the wild strawberry from the Marsala area, in the western tip of Sicily, is progressing smoothly. Starting in September, the harvest is delivering to the market a healthy, high-quality product with more than satisfactory volumes.
“2024 ends on a positive note: it’s a regular year with a slight increase in production compared to the average, so much so that part of it will be dedicated to frozen products. We will continue serenely until June,” says agronomist Antonino Bongiorno, commercial director of Ortoflorofrutticola Bufalata.
As always happens in the weeks leading up to Christmas, prices are reaching their peak these days, even doubling compared to usual levels. “This is a period when wild strawberries are in high demand, but right after Christmas, things will return to normal,” explains Bongiorno.
Founded in 1956, Ortoflorofrutticola Bufalata is now the oldest in the region in its sector, with an average 2.5-3 million turnover, 90% of which comes from the wild strawberry market, with only a minimal part from strawberries.
There are around 180 active members: companies ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 square meters that daily deliver their products to the cooperative, which are then distributed throughout central and southern Italy.
“Twenty years ago, we were the first to start working with soilless wild strawberries. Today, we are market leaders,” emphasizes Bongiorno. Over the years, the cooperative has selected seeds that best meet its production needs and those of its customers: “We have thus moved from an elongated variety to the round one that the market demands more today,” he adds.
On average, each plant produces about one kilogram of product per year. “We focus heavily on quality. For this reason, it is essential to follow a precise process. We grow in a protected, unheated environment. The cover is important to protect the plants from the wind, which is quite frequent in this area,” highlights Bongiorno.
To protect the plants from pathogens, primarily Powdery Mildew and Phytophthora, which caused serious problems a few years ago, the cooperative takes preventive measures to keep the environment as clean as possible. “Every year, we replace peat and plants. Before planting, we ensure a sanitized environment. We have mats at the entrance and windows screened with nets. Only authorized personnel can enter the greenhouse. All this is to prevent the spread of spores. These are small precautions that pay off,” explains the commercial director.
The harvest then takes on a feminine touch. “It’s a crucial phase that requires delicacy and care to maintain the product’s characteristics. In our cooperative, this moment is entirely managed by women.”
In addition to fresh products, which represent the bulk of production, there is also frozen produce. The idea was born to find a market for surplus production. “We were the first in Italy,” says Bongiorno, “to obtain authorization to do so. For the first ten years, we didn’t have much competition; naturally, it has increased now. But for it to work, a solid commercial network is essential. Wild strawberries have a much narrower market than regular strawberries: you need to know exactly how much product to sell and to whom.”
Nearly 50 years after its foundation, Bongiorno reflects on the journey, the many revolutions introduced, and the solid network built around its producers. “We have always focused on quality and innovation, also observing what was happening in the rest of Europe, trying to grasp market dynamics and novelties, studying how to adapt them to the characteristics of our context.”
Antonella Genna
