Sat Orsola Italy strawberries

Following a long carrier in the academic world, agronomist Gianluca Savini has been appointed as the new technical director of leading Italian soft fruit cooperative Sant'Orsola.

The group, which is based in the north-east Italian city of Trento, is the country's largest supplier of fresh berries, specialising in the production and marketing of fruits such as strawberries and cherries.

Mr Savini will be in charge of supervising the activities of the cooperative's team of agronomists, which on a daily basis follows and supports the work done in the production zones by its 1,300 member producers.

According to the company, Mr Savini has a wealth of experience about the berry growing business gained from working in France, the UK and Japan.

'These attributes will help him to tackle the cooperative's future challenges, starting with the identification of improved growing techniques and better varieties that can extend the production period while maintaining consistent quality in the fruit being harvested,' said a spokesperson.

'The main objectives for the Sant'Orsola Cooperative are to understand the work and the needs of the growers while not forgetting the demands which come from the markets,' commented Mr Savini. 'We must also remember to respect the environment and identify measures that can reduce the impact of production by using solutions which, thanks to the use of biodegradable materials like plastics made from vegetable matter, allow us to use fewer chemical products.'