"Italian horticulture has been facing a phase of great uncertainty over the part few years. It is not only the rising production costs and climatic variability that are affecting it, but also the increasing difficulty in accurately planning crop cycles that are sustainable over time, both agronomically and economically. In this scenario, more and more growers are developing the awareness that a significant part of the production risk is played out before transplanting. Initial choices - species, calendar, duration of the cycle, technical approach - have a decisive impact on the performance of the entire crop," reports Giovanni Sessa, owner of the Sicilian 3esse Vivai.
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When the choice of seedling becomes a strategic choice
"In addition to the choice of a high quality seedling, the set-up of the cultivation cycle has become increasingly strategic over the years," explain the managers of 3 Esse Vivai Srl, a nursery company based in Sicily that has recently also started collaborations in Central Italy.
"The request that comes from the fields is clear: better planning made before transplanting. It means assessing together with producers not only the species or variety, but also the transplanting calendar, the commercial destination, the duration of the cycle and the compatibility with the available structures and resources."
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In several areas, both in the South and in the Centre-North, many producers are reconsidering long and demanding cycles in favour of more flexible solutions, capable of adapting to shorter market windows and less exposed to e.g. unexpected weather events. In addition, there is a growing focus on the rational optimisation of work management, irrigation and costs.
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Technical comparison leads to more sustainable choices
According to 3 Esse Vivai, the added value of nurseries today is played out above all before transplanting, i.e. in the phase in which initial choices have a decisive influence on the outcome of the cycle. It is at this stage that a technical discussion can avoid mistakes that are difficult to correct afterwards.
"It often happens that producers come to us with a precise idea, but decide to revise the programme after we analyse the production context together. It is not a question of necessarily changing species or address, but of adapting the plan to the actual production system."
© 3ESSE VIVAI SRL SOC. AGR. A nursery that thinks like a producer
Founded in 2024 thanks to 15 years of experience in the sector, 3esse Vivai Srl was set up with the aim of creating value along the entire supply chain, focusing on the professional growth of the team and a direct and ongoing relationship with producers.
"Our approach starts from listening. Each area, from South to North, has its own specificities that translate into different needs. That is why we believe that nurseries must be the first technical partner, not just a supplier."
"This vision translates into daily work made up of comparisons, trials, adaptations and attention to detail, from the sowing phase to the acclimatisation of the seedling, depending on the actual transplanting conditions."
A look at the future of Italian horticulture
For 3esse Vivai, the future of Italian horticulture will increasingly depend on well-considered choices and greater integration between nursery and field. In a context where mistakes are expensive, technical prevention is therefore becoming one of the most effective tools available to growers.
Today, nurseries can and must assume a share of production responsibility. It is not enough to deliver a seedling: you have to help build a sustainable production path, right from the start."
With the approach described above, 3esse Vivai is looking for new collaborations throughout Italy, with the aim of providing a working model that combines the final product with a cultivation strategy built from the beginning.
For more information:
© 3ESSE VIVAI SRL SOC. AGR.
Giovanni Sessa
3esse Vivai Srl
Via Alessandria 319
97019 Vittoria (RG) - Italy
+39 0932 184 7723
+39 334 748 3284
[email protected]
www.treessevivai.it
