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PO Association "Ortofrutta Sicilia" just born
Italy
Sunday 09 December 2007
Joining 1,720 producer members, four Sicily’ fruit and vegetable cooperatives - the Producer Organizations (POs) “Rossa di Sicilia” of Catania, “Rinascita” and “Natura” of Vittoria (Ragusa province) and “Coa” of Ribera (Agrigento province) - have formed and introduced at end November the PO Association “Ortofrutta di Sicilia” (Sicily’s fruit and vegetables). Their aim is to face the market challenge and to relaunch the role of cooperation within this industry, which is strategic to Sicily’s agricultural economy.
The initiative covers a total of 4,900 ha surface (distributed chiefly in the isle’s Central and Eastern-Southern areas), 3,700 of which are citrus trees, 850 fruit and vegetables greenhouse cultivation, 200 fruit trees (peaches and apricots), 100 vineyards for table grapes and 100 plain field vegetables.
During the last season the four cooperatives generated an overall turnover of 50 million euros from both products and services. 37.7 million euros came only from products’ sale, marketed on both domestic and foreign markets.
The PO Association “Ortofrutta di Sicilia” will make its debut on markets at the beginning of 2008 through an only brand label that will valorize the region’s most typical productions (red oranges, Vittoria cherry tomatoes, Italia table grapes, purple Violetto artichoke of Catania, Ribera blond oranges, Vittoria sweet peppers and aubergines).
The initiative covers a total of 4,900 ha surface (distributed chiefly in the isle’s Central and Eastern-Southern areas), 3,700 of which are citrus trees, 850 fruit and vegetables greenhouse cultivation, 200 fruit trees (peaches and apricots), 100 vineyards for table grapes and 100 plain field vegetables.
During the last season the four cooperatives generated an overall turnover of 50 million euros from both products and services. 37.7 million euros came only from products’ sale, marketed on both domestic and foreign markets.
The PO Association “Ortofrutta di Sicilia” will make its debut on markets at the beginning of 2008 through an only brand label that will valorize the region’s most typical productions (red oranges, Vittoria cherry tomatoes, Italia table grapes, purple Violetto artichoke of Catania, Ribera blond oranges, Vittoria sweet peppers and aubergines).
