The long period of drought in Italy has seriously impacted pistachio harvests in the Sicilian region of Bronte, with production expected to decrease by up to 60%, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
"It was an exceptional drought," said producer Giuseppe Currenti. "It hasn’t been raining since March, and in some places since January."
Pistachio trees were affected by the changeable weather, as many fruits fell prematurely and the remaining dried out too quickly. Producers and farmers in the region are now calling for state intervention.
Italian Weather
Italian farmers association Coldiretti has noted that several crops have been negatively affected by recent weather conditions in the country, such as grapes, exotic fruits, soy, corn, and fodder for livestock. Mussel stocks have recorded a decrease of 40% due to the summer heatwave, while dairy production experienced a 20% decline as a result of recent earthquake activity.
Coldiretti underlined that Italy is facing an 'extreme event', after a long season of droughts and frosts, which could cost the industry up to €2 billion.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Francesca Volpe. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
