"Most of the peppers come from Spain and the Netherlands with prices between €1 and €1.50 per kg."
The Bologna wholesale market (Archive photo)
"Aubergines come from Southern Italy and Spain. Greenhouse produce from Sicily is sold at high prices and cannot compete with the Spanish one, which is sold at 80 cents/€1 per kg. Purchases are still slow though."
Another wholesaler adds that "Sicilian produce is expensive and that from Spain is actually of better quality. We sell Spanish aubergines at €1.20-1.40/kg and Sicilian ones at €2/kg."
The Caab, the Agri-food centre Bologna (Archive photo).
The same goes on in Verona. "The Dutch aubergine season is over and the pepper season is ending too, so grades are smaller," explains Davide Pizzeghella, owner of Co.Fra..
"On the other hand, volumes from Spain are increasing, just like the grades. They will enter full production around 20th November and will continue until March."
Veronamercato, the Verona wholesale market (Archive photo).
"Quantities are enough to cover demand, so prices are low. Peppers from Spain and the Netherlands are sold at €1-1.30/kg. The situation was different a couple of weeks ago but things changed when Spain started producing more."
Everything depends on the weather at the moment. "If winter is warm, there will be a lot of produce available and prices will be lower, otherwise with a colder winter, volumes will decline and prices will increase."