Alfalfa, Bf drying plant in the Ferrara region

Major investment by Bonifiche Ferraresi to double processing capacity. The finished product will be exported all over the world.

A state-of-the-art alfalfa drying plant that, thanks to the investments made, doubles its processing capacity from 400 to 800 thousand quintals per year, with two processing lines suitable for as many types of raw material delivered. This is the one inaugurated in Ripapersico, a hamlet of Portomaggiore in the province of Ferrara, thanks to the entry of Bonifiche Ferraresi's ‘L'Erba del Persico’ company.

In addition to the purchase of new machinery, the company has been expanded to become a point of reference not only for alfalfa processing in Italy, but also for exporting the high quality finished product all over the world. Present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were, among others, the managing directors of Bonifiche Ferraresi Spa Federico Vecchioni and Cai - Consorzi agrari d'Italia Gianluca Lelli, the president of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini and the councillors for Agriculture Alessio Mammi and Budget Paolo Calvano, and the secretary general of Coldiretti Enzo Gesmundo.
 

Two processing lines for two products

The new drying plant has two integrated processing lines. The first is dedicated to the milling and pelleting of ‘matured’ fodder, i.e. fodder delivered by farmers even a long time after mowing. The processing cycle ends with the production of a kind of flour that is then compacted for transport.

The second line is reserved for processing fresh-cut alfalfa grown on part of the two thousand hectares of the Terre del Persico farm. It is dehydrated (bringing the moisture content to between 10 and 14%) but not ground, leaving the long fibre. This product has a higher value than flour and is also highly appreciated abroad.

The Erba del Persico plant thus becomes one of the most important in Italy in terms of quality standards and production capacity in the livestock feed chain, creating a link between alfalfa suppliers and the world's livestock farms, especially those in Europe, China, Arab countries and South Korea.

"As shareholders of the company L'Erba del Persico, we are very happy to see this new production plant built and ready to go, the result of investments designed to help strengthen the national agricultural entrepreneurial fabric through a project that sees internationalisation as a natural outlet,' said Bf Spa CEO Federico Vecchioni. ’Alfalfa is strategic for the entire Italian agricultural and agri-food chain. We will continue to create projects that have positive economic and social spin-offs in the territories where we operate".