Lo scenario economico dell'ortofrutticoltura in Sicilia. Un'indagine empirica sulle strategie organizzative e gestionali delle imprese

The fruit and vegetable industry has registered many transformations in recent years. Some of its determinants are the intensification of opening markets, the emergence of large-scale retail trade in distribution system, both domestic and international, the changes in agricultural policy. The horticultural sector has a great economic importance in Sicily, contributing significantly to the value added of the agro-food sector. The present study, funded by the Regional Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Mobility, arise from the recognition of this importance. It aims to outline the economic framework of the sector through the analysis of official statistics and an empirical investigation involving productive and commercial enterprises working in the fresh fruit and vegetables industry. The direct survey outlines the organizational and management models of the involved farms, in particular, after examining their main aspects of production and trade, the study focuses on those relating to the degree of computerization and to the logistics of the companies, identifying them as the two main competitive levers