Bruno's organic prickly pear farm is located in an area close to Enne (Italy). edible cacti are cultivated under the brand name Fichidindia Bio.

According to Francesco D'Alessandro and Rosa Bruno, the successful cultivation of cacti is facilitated by the mild temperature at which the fruits ripen slowly.

Demand for organic products guarantees sales markets, even if yields are clearly lower than with conventional fruits. The average yield is about 60-70 tons / ha.

The company is located in the province of Enna, at an altitude of 700 m. Above sea level. In cultivation, a completely manual technique is used, which includes the elimination of the first fruits in June to stimulate the second flowering. So you get larger, juicy and tasty fruits, the famous "Bastardoni".

The fruits differ in relation to the ripening period in the “agostani” or “latini” (first flower), “scozzolati” or “bastardoni” (second flowering).

In recent years, the company has equipped a 200-square-meter laboratory. m²., in which the fruit is cleared of thorns and calibrated within 48 hours after collection, ready for sale.

Direct speech: “Recently, in the wake of changing eating habits, more and more focused on the search for products with functional properties, prickly pear meets many market requirements.

This year, Francesco concludes, 80% of the product was sold in the market, and in the general markets of Catania and Agrigento. Only a small fraction of the products are sold in France and Germany, as part of an activity specializing in the exclusive sale of organic products. ”

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