"Every morning, we analyse the organic market; its prices, the volumes we have available, etc., to make sure that the growers get the best possible price for their products," states Manuela Benedetti, CEO at Blife. In a market such as the Italian, wher there is fierce competition from other countries, such as Morocco and Egypt, with very competitive prices due to their low labour costs, standing out is the only way producers have to survive. That is why many of them have decided to specialise in organic farming. "This will not only allow them to differentiate themselves from the competition, but will also give their products an added value and an explanation for the higher price that is reasonable for the consumer," explains Benedetti.

Since this sort of farming is relatively young, there are varieties that have not yet been cultivated on Italian soil. That is why "when we have a request for a product that our producers do not have, we conduct a study and carry out the necessary crop planning to guarantee its availability," affirms Benedetti.

"In Italy, between 30 and 40% of the production is organic, although this is a only generalised picture since, depending on the product, it will be more or less difficult to adhere to this line and philosophy," states Benedetti.

"We only work with producers who grow 100% organic," assures Benedetti. In this way, certain guarantees can be given to the consumers regarding the conditions, origin and treatments which the fruit and vegetables have received.