Exotic fruit sales plunge in Italy

CIA reports 25 per cent year-on-year fall in sales of pineapples, bananas, avocados and mangoes during festive period

The amount of exotic fruit consumed in Italy over the festive period fell dramatically compared with the same period of 2007, according to Italian farming organisation CIA.

In a statement, the group reported a year-on-year downturn of more than 25 per cent in sales of fruits such as pineapples, avocados, bananas and mangoes eaten in the country over Christmas and New Year.

Overall sales of fresh fruit and vegetables fell by 1.5 per cent compared with the year before, according to CIA. However, sales of dried fruit and nuts rose by 2.5 per cent, while vegetable sales grew by 3.5 per cent on the back of increased demand for lentils and beans.

Before Christmas, Italy's Minister of Agriculture Luca Zaia called on consumers to boycott pineapples and other imported food items over the holiday period in favour of traditional domestic products.

The calls were met with dismay from the trade, however, with industry body Fruit Imprese labelling the minister's comments "misguided".

According to CIA, the majority of Italy's 23m families did their shopping in retail stores (56 per cent), followed by traditional stores (24 per cent), local markets (18 per cent) and the internet (2 per cent)

www.fruitnet.com 5 January 2009