Laura Seguso
According to the new report prepared by Macfrut Consumers' Trend, which photographs the trend of consumption for fruit and vegetables in April 2015, retail purchases were carried out by Italian families for about 362 thousand tonnes, up 3% compared to the same month of 2014. Fruits, with about 315 thousand tonnes, record + 4%; vegetables, with 317,000 tonnes, + 2%.
- Strawberries: with almost 24,000 tonnes, consumptions exceed by + 40% the volume purchased in April 2014 and by + 27% compared to the beginning of the year. The average purchase price (€ 3.17 / kg), below the one which had been recorded in any previous year, supported this positive trend.
- Melons: the start of the present campaign is successful for melon, more than doubled in terms of volume (+ 123% on 2014), reaching a record level of 5,400 tonnes with an average price of almost € 1.80 / kg.
- Apples and Pears: the more recent signals of growth are confirmed. For apples, higher volumes by + 12% were recorded, and by + 19% for pears compared to April 2014. On yearly basis, at present the year 2015 shows an opposing trend compared to the last two years: for apples and pears + 3.6% and + 9% in terms of volume respectively.
- Vegetables: a strong recovery is recorded for tomatoes, +13% on yearly basis, mainly due to the volumes of April, which reached 43,000 tonnes (+ 28% compared to April 2014).
- Asparagus: interesting increase, with about 5,600 tonnes. This product reaches the volumes that historically are purchased in full campaign in May.
April confirms the slow, but steady increase in volumes for radicchio (red salad). For onions + 18% compared to the same month of last year was recorded, while fennels show a sharp decrease (-19%).
