Pricing Strategies and Business Alliances – A Comparative Integrated Study of the Fruits and Vegetables Markets from Italy and Romania

This paper aims to analyze the fruits and vegetables market landscape and reveal this industry major dynamics by making a comparative review between Italy and Romania and analyzing the influence of several key factors (e.g. natural factors, farm structure, demographics, crops area and yield values) on price levels. Assuming that price is a key purchasing driver and also that profitability of fruits and vegetables growers is a long-term competitive issue in the European Union, especially at the small and medium-sized enterprise level, this paper concludes that producers should focus on obtaining higher yields, enlarging farm sizes, strengthening the actual producers ’ associations and establishing new collaborative forms in order to increase their negotiation power with retail chains and other stakeholders. They also should focus their key strategic actions in becoming more competitive by accessing the latest agro-food technologies and implementing stronger trade and marketing initiatives