"Italy: "We export over 70% of our aromatic herbs production"

The interest in aromatic herbs is on the rise every year. New uses in the kitchen, new forms of food or the growing popularity of cocktails and infusions are promoting their consumption more and more.

"We are increasingly shipping more aromatic herbs outside of Italy. In our case, we export over half of the production," states Walter Cafaro, manager at Vivai Cafaro; however, Italy is a traditional consumer of this type of product, so the plantations are expanding every year. "Vivai Cafaro currently has 10 hectares of rosemary, 7 hectares of sage, 2 hectares of parsley and 1 hectare of mint, and given the growth of the market, we intend to expand both the acreage and the range of herbs we can offer," added Cafaro.

The volume of aromatic herbs varies depending on the variety and destination; thus, this Italian company can offer an average of 4,500 kilos per week of rosemary, 2,000 kilos per week of sage and about 1,000 kilos per week of mint, its main products so far.

"We have a large customer base, as countries like the UK, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands are big consumers of these herbs," explains Cafaro. As for the price in the international market, "it varies a little depending on the time of the year and the product, although last year they cost an average of between 3 and 4 Euro per kilo," points out the representative of Vivai Cafaro. The company clarifies that the product's packaging and destination are also important factors in setting prices.