After an unstable season - the one that is coming to an end in Apulia, Italy - prices for fresh tomatoes have soared. We are talking about more than 3.00 EUR/kg for the small coloured ones, and demand is quite strained. This is Enzo Lapietra from the company of the same name in Monopoli (BA), who gives a brief overview of the campaign that is coming to an end in Apulia, Italy, where the season runs from March to October.
Enzo Lapietra
"We have come through a season that has been marked by a constant supply of standard produce and very poor demand," says Lapietra. "At times, prices were so low that producers were discouraged. But almost at the end of the campaign, let's say from the last half of September to the present, we saw the opposite, with strong demand, to the extent that some of the references, like the Datterino Giallo, reached high prices." 
'Lapietra' branded basket
The advantage of not having to obtain mandatory certifications
He continues: "It is clear that, as a Lapietra company, we are less affected by these dynamics. Even during the general downturn in the summer, we continued to sell as planned to the most qualified large retailers and we did not suffer any market downturn. The reason for this is the loyalty of our business customers, who do not want to and cannot do without our quality standards, as they are aware of the guarantee of sales of our product in the stores, even if the retail price is higher. We work a lot with those who have known us for a long time and know us well, because we follow the principles of environmental sustainability, favouring water conservation and short supply chains, and food safety, with mandatory and non-mandatory certifications such as Residue Zero and Nickel-tested, among others. Five per cent of our production is destined for the Horeca sector, which appreciates the absence of pesticide residues and benefits in terms of reputation, thanks also to the appearance and taste of the product."
"To say that we have had no problems would be wrong. We also had a drop in production as a result of the lack of fruit set during the intense heat of July and August last year. In a technological context like ours, to suffer a loss, even if it is less than 30%, is still a significant loss. We have decided to add another 4 hectares to our 15 hectares of high-tech greenhouses, partly for this reason and partly to encourage the next generation of farmers. On the other hand, the demand for a quality product like ours is always high and the balance sheet is always positive for us."
It takes a certain degree of maturity to realise that there is still a great deal to be learnt
The challenges for the near future are therefore focused on increasing the production area in order to guarantee our commercial partners larger quantities of a product with significantly higher quality standards. Having said that, Lapietra, who never leaves anything to chance in his greenhouses, does not appear to be an entrepreneur who who sees himself as settled. On the contrary, he exudes humility, almost wisdom: "We have been doing this work since 1990, bringing a lot of innovation to a sector that was rather disorganised. Today, after almost 35 years, we are mature enough to realise that we still have a lot to learn," he concludes.
For more information: 
Enzo Lapietra
Azienda Agricola Lapietra
C.da Stomazzelli 82/C
70043 Monopoli (BA)
Tel.: +39 368 569363
[email protected]
https://fratellilapietra.it/