Italy, South Central region: still no agreement for the 2022 season

The proposal of industrial partners for a price increase greater than the one accepted in the North has been refused, even in consideration of the higher production yields. This increase is also to take into account improvements in the situation of water resources in the South-Central region at this time of year compared to the Northern region, where there is a significant drought problem, and increases already implemented in recent years due to unusual circumstances have been maintained. 

In addition, industrial partners, seeking precisely to respond to the difficulties of growers and the increased risk of late planting, proposed a further significant price increase for deliveries made after mid-September. 
 "Our proposal," stated ANICAV President Marco Serafini, "takes into account the difficulties of the agricultural world, but with great regret, we had to take note of an incomprehensible rigidity on the part of our discussion partners, despite the fact that the prices paid would continue to be the highest in the world."

"The demands of the agricultural parties," continued ANICAV Director Giovanni De Angelis, "do not have any justification in terms of the real increases in production costs. It is incomprehensible that growers in the North can base price increases [for tomatoes] on recognized increases [in inputs] and, at the same time, we face such obstruction in the South when the cost increases are exactly the same (fuel, fertilizer, etc.)."

President Serafini concluded: "It is necessary to implement, as soon as possible, a careful analysis of the costs of agricultural production in the two production basins in order to avoid any kind of speculation. We hope that the agricultural parties will reconsider their position in order to allow an immediate resumption of dialogue in the interest of the whole sector."

Sources: ANICAV, freshplaza.it