"This campaign is unusual; sometimes we get excellent results and sometimes we get barely acceptable ones," says Carmela Suriano, a strawberry grower in southern Italy (Basilicata region). "We are in a period where climate change is impacting crops. "The season has started quite well, but I am not sure we will have large volumes for the rest of the campaign."
During the first seventy days of the harvest season, Italian operators saw a favorable market trend, partly due to difficult weather conditions in Spain, which resulted in significant damage to many strawberry orchards and a subsequent reduction in processed and exported volumes to Europe.
"The situation was very positive until the eleventh week. Prices were 30% higher than those compared to the same period in 2024, and volumes were not enough to meet domestic and foreign demand. Exports from southern Italy, particularly to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, were substantial. However, since the beginning of April, we have seen a significant drop in foreign demand due to the arrival of the first Dutch strawberries."
"The regions that contributed to meeting the high demand were Campania, Basilicata, and Sicily, with Calabria also playing a role. Notably, the province of Caserta, located in Campania, witnessed a record in strawberry sales, which allowed them to ensure a steady supply to the markets because, unlike other Italian areas specializing in strawberries, product volumes were much higher in the first few months of the year."
Then the situation changed with the rise in temperatures. "From the second decade of March, supplies increased, causing commercial turmoil, and consequently, a significant reduction in selling prices. In Italy, all the medium-late varieties have entered production, although there are some agronomic problems due to the climatic trend, resulting in a lower fruit set. There is a high waste rate, as strawberries have been damaged by high moisture levels. Some varieties will not be able to resume the production that was expected and hoped for, because the weather events have affected the productive capacity of the plants, especially those varieties that are more sensitive to temperature changes. On the price front, we do not expect any major downward fluctuations in the coming weeks."
Northern Italy
Researcher Gianluca Baruzzi provides an update on the current situation in northern Italy. "The Verona area of Veneto began harvesting in early April, while in Romagna, another productive area in the north, the harvest started later. From a production standpoint, the plants did not endure any significant climatic stress, with the exception of a few frosts occurring between March and April. These frosts did not cause significant damage to crops protected by greenhouses."
According to the expert, strawberry production in northern Italy this year has not coincided with that in the south. "There doesn't seem to be a significant production surplus, suggesting that the market is not experiencing a stall at a European scale. Supplies appear to be in line with market demand, and prices are expected to remain at a reasonable level for growers."
Exports
According to data from CSO Italy - Fruit and Vegetable Services Center, Italian strawberry exports during 2024 were 10% lower than the previous season, with 10,500 tons shipped, marking the lowest quantity in the last five years. Conversely, the value increased significantly, reaching an average price of €4.47 per kilogram, marking a 15% increase compared to 2023.
Exports to European Union countries decreased by 13% compared to the previous year. Austria, the primary market for Italian strawberries in recent years, imported only a 5% decrease from our country in 2023, amounting to approximately 4,200 tons. In contrast, shipments to Germany decreased considerably, by almost 30%, reaching a little over 2,200 tons. Within the European Union, shipments to Slovenia, Luxembourg, Croatia, and Lithuania each accounted for a few hundred tons.
Exports to Switzerland, on the other hand, showed a significant increase of 14% compared to the previous year, indicating a growing interest from this market.
Exports of Italian strawberries typically peak between March and May. In 2024, this period accounted for nearly 80% of the total, with substantial volumes also shipped in February, contributing approximately 10% of the total. This indicates an earlier start to the season compared to recent years.
STRAWBERRIES, ITALY: Exports – By solar year
Source: CSO ITALY analysis based on ISTAT data
Italy's imports of strawberries have consistently exceeded its exports, with a notable rebound in 2024. In 2024, Italy imported 27,500 tons of strawberries, marking a 13% increase over the previous year and a more than 20% increase in value.
On the production front, estimates prepared by CSO Italy on the size of Italian investments in specialized crops for 2025 suggest a slight increase compared to last year. The total area dedicated to strawberry cultivation in Italy stands at 4,200 hectares, marking a 2% increase compared to 2024. Of these, over 85% are under protected cultivation, indicating a 3% increase.
While the trend in individual regions appears to be different, the crop continues to expand in South-Central Italy, reaching 66% of the total area with approximately 2,750 hectares. In contrast, North Italy has experienced a decline, accounting for 22% of the total area, consistent with recent trends.
The Campania region has shown a notable expansion in cultivated area, with a 7% increase compared to the previous year, reaching over 1,150 hectares. Similarly, the Basilicata region has shown a 4% increase in area, reaching almost 1,100 hectares. Collectively, these regions account for 2,250 hectares, representing over 50% of the national total. Conversely, Sicily, Calabria, and Apulia have shown a -6% decline compared to 2024, indicating a contraction in these regions.
However, the cultivated area in the central regions has shown a modest growth, with an expansion of over 500 hectares this year, representing an increase of 4% compared to 2024.
In 2025, more than 900 hectares are estimated for the northern regions, with some downward variation. In Trentino-Alto Adige, cultivation is almost stable this year, after the decreases of the previous years. Slight declines seem to be observed in Veneto (-2% compared to 2024, which had actually recorded a momentary recovery), Emilia-Romagna (-3% compared to 2024) and Piedmont (-1% compared to 2024).
As always, our first competitor is Spain, both in terms of export propensity and volumes produced. In 2024, Spanish exports closed with a volume of around 254,000 tons, 2% higher than the previous year. The German market remains the main destination for Spanish strawberries, but in 2024, as for the Italian product, the volume continued to decrease to 73,000 tons (-2% compared to the previous season). The second most important destination was France, with more than 40,000 tons (+12%). This was followed by the United Kingdom, which remained stable at around 30,000 tons (+1% compared to last season) and accounts for 12% of the total. In fourth place is Italy, followed by Portugal and Poland, with a +25% increase in shipments to Portugal and a +3% increase in shipments to Poland, while exports to the Netherlands have decreased (-4% compared to 2023) and represent 5% of the total.
At present (i.e., mid-April 2025), more than 30 percent of the crop has been harvested in Spain. The initial weather conditions at the time of planting were characterized by significant dryness and heat, resulting in losses and various challenges. However, subsequent rains have been beneficial to the crop. The initial harvest, which began around 20 December, was good, but since the end of January, rains and cloudy weather have slowed down the production, with repeated clean-up operations due to excess moisture; the current weather conditions are also causing rotting of the fruit and plants, most stressed by this weather pattern. At this point in the season, production is lagging behind the previous year. In the province of Huelva, the main production area in Spain, the area planted with strawberries this season has increased by 2% compared to last year.
In Italy, the commercial campaign is underway, with supplies from the southern regions, particularly Basilicata, where the harvest is around 30%, and Campania, with harvests reaching over 25% of the total.
After transplanting in Basilicata, optimal temperature ranges facilitated adequate tillering. Indoor temperatures in the greenhouses, which were maintained at satisfactory thermal levels, contributed to the successful development of the crop. However, the weather pattern, characterized by rain, fog, and lower temperatures than those compared to last year, delayed the start of production.
In Campania, plants showed consistent quality in the later stages of growth and flowering. This positive development was further supported by favorable weather conditions. Plants showed adequate development, steady flowering, and no early start to harvest. Harvesting began in January with the first shoots, and by mid-February, the volumes harvested were already in line with the average for the period. The favorable climatic trend has continued since then, allowing the plants to thrive and improving the quality of the product at the time of harvest.
This article was previously published in Primeur May 2025. Click here for the link to the entire edition.