Rising energy prices risk putting the fruit and vegetable sector in crisis as well.
The 69 operators of the Sardinian agri-food market, owners, at the Sestu site, of the boxes, sounded the alarm on the increases in the bill.
"The recent measures launched by the government and contained in the Support Decree to calm the expensive bills - explained Vincenzo Pisano, president of Coagri, the managing body of the market - are not sufficient and decisive. There is a risk of closure because not everyone will be able to bear these aggravations that concern the entire fruit and vegetable supply chain, starting with the contributing producers, the first link in the chain to be weakened ".
"In addition to electricity, which jumped from 40/50 euros to mega watt / hour to 300 euros and + 10% of diesel, there is an increase in raw materials and fertilizers equal, the latter, to + 143%. Wholesalers are also in difficulty - he added -, who see exorbitant bills to feed the cold rooms essential to guarantee the cold chain and the preservation of products ".
The generalized increases "determine a rigid demand - declared the director Giorgio Licheri -, as the demand for products decreases when prices exceed a value considered acceptable by consumers. From an analysis conducted by Italmercati, the network we belong to that brings together 18 national markets representing 2,500 companies, it emerges that wholesale prices for fruit and vegetables remained unchanged from 2010 to 2020. Recent increases could lead to fewer purchases and unsold goods which for distributors would translate into increasingly lower margins and in probable losses ".
But the "sting" does not spare transport and packaging either. "Starting this year - said the wholesaler Alessandra Ortu - an increase in the cost of packaging is expected equal to 10%, calculated at 30 euros more per transport and 5 euros per platform". The increased cost of diesel and petrol "weighs on transport - added the market operator Efisia Cocco -, for us who deliver goods to hospitals, canteens and hotels every day with our own vehicles, it becomes unsustainable" .
