12 May 2008
Corsica is not a big producer of strawberries, but when it comes to savour, consumers can only be seduced.
Throughout the island there are only four important producers and a few small farmers, producing a total of 220 tons every year, compared to 53,000 tons for France and more than 300,000 tons for Spain.
Competition is therefore a key factor in the production of the fruit, but Florence Saba, from the Corsican market gardener organisation, told Corse Matin: "taste is what makes the difference, especially as important producers in Corsica tend to keep their plant-care treatments to a minimum."
Most Corsican strawberries are cultivated around Casinca in the north or Bastelicaccia near Ajaccio, and producer Jean-Francois Mattei has explained that while in Spain prices tend to stay around €0.90 per kilo, in Corsica, producers cannot sell for less than €4 per kilo if they want to make a profit.
M Mattei has also explained that Spanish producers manage to keep their prices low thanks to the cheap workforce available in the country.
