The new potato campaign in the Salento region in Apulia usually starts between mid-February and early March with the early greenhouse variety and continues with the open field produce from late March to July.
The campaign started a few days ago with an excellent quality produce, 90% of which is destined for the German market. If the weather stabilises (it rained a lot in the past few days) towards the end of the month or anyway before Easter, the open field campaign will start.
In Salento 15-20% less crops have been sowed this year.
Producers talk about an excellent production with good yields and a lively market not affected by old stocks or excessive supply.
Sieglinde new potatoes from Galatina are the flagship product of the area and companies are trying to promote it as best they can - they apply integrated control principles, harvest at the right moment and select accurately.
In February, this variety obtained the temporary Patata Novella di Galatina EU denomination, which should lead to the assignment of the PDO mark.