Princes Industrie Alimentari (Pia), a company that manages the largest plant in Europe for tomato processing in Foggia, wanted to confirm once again this year the traditional moment of meeting with agricultural suppliers, renewing the proximity of the international Group to its partners. Thanks to a digital meeting, the industry virtually welcomed a large representation of the agricultural part to take stock of the 2020 tomato season and present the strategic directions that will guide the next campaign.

In front of about 50 representatives of the main cooperatives and producers, the CEO of Pia indicated sustainability and innovation as fundamental strategic levers to enhance the tomato made in Puglia. "Only through greater use of innovative solutions in the direction of sustainability it will be possible to overcome together the impacts that 2020 leaves us. Made in Italy and in particular the Apulian tomato can set up a fundamental lever for economic recovery and to allow true development for our region, in the context of an ethical and transparent supply chain. At Princes, our commitment is to enhance this agri-food excellence by bringing the culture of innovation, the certainty of legality and the traceability of our production all over the world", commented CEO Gianmarco Laviola .

During the meeting, the Group underlined the contribution to the 2020 campaign brought by the technological solutions implemented, such as the traps that have allowed the reduction of pesticides, the blockchain that fully guarantees the traceability of the processed tomato, the water quota programs from irrigation and nitrogen in the fields. An even more relevant contribution in the context of a campaign impacted, as never before in history, by the sum of violent climatic events (drought, floods, plant diseases) and the pandemic from Covid-19. The meeting was also the moment to confirm the company's commitment to the early negotiation of tomatoes and the determination of its fair price based on the valorisation of cultivation costs.

As usual, the company wanted to recognize the commitment of the cooperatives and producers who distinguished themselves for the quality and quantity of the tomato conferred in the past 2020 season. The awards assigned: "Best tomato quality for Cooperative" to the agricultural cooperative La Rustica Scrl; “Best tomato quality for Producer” to the Visconti agricultural cooperative (San Sebastiano cooperative); “Delivery of more than 100% of the contracted tomato” to the Eurocoop Arl agricultural cooperative and the Il Gallo Arl agricultural cooperative; "Greater quantity of tomato conferred per cooperative" to the agricultural cooperative Futuragri; "Largest quantity of tomato conferred per producer", to the Pa.Vi.Ro. of F.lli D'Ettorres & C. (San Sebastiano cooperative); “Ethical fidelity in the Apulian tomato supply chain” at Apod Scrl; “Special innovation award” to the Terranova Arl agricultural cooperative for the choice of resorting to "Bulk" harvesting, a practice that reduces harvest times, the use of company assets and the amount of labor used in the fields.