By our economics editors
Sep 26, 2023 at 3:24 pm
Italian farmers are increasingly choosing to grow mangoes, bananas and avocados. Due to climate change, the temperature in Italy is increasingly suitable for tropical fruits, although there are also risks involved.
This harvest year, 1,200 hectares of land in Italy was planted with mango trees. In 2019 this was still 500 hectares and in 2004 only 10 hectares, according to data from the Italian farmers’ lobby Coldiretti.
Tropical fruits have been grown on the island of Sicily for decades, but only on a small scale. Production is now expanding to other southern regions such as Apulia and Calabria. More citrus fruits traditionally grow there.
The harvest of bananas, mangoes and avocados increases every year, while other crops are struggling in Italy. For example, this year’s grape harvest shrank due to bad weather and diseases. As a result, wine production decreased by 12 percent.
Coldiretti warns that exotic fruits are also vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Italy is increasingly experiencing storms, drought and heavy rainfall. “Growing tropical fruits offers no guarantees for farmers,” says a spokesperson.
Mango trees grow in tropical areas such as India, parts of Africa and the Caribbean. The trees have also been growing in Spain for several decades, but only on a small scale.
Image: Phototek
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ItalyEconomy
2023-09-26 13:24:05
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