For the “Person of the Month” section, the protagonists of December are father and son: Stefano and Ivo Paccino, from the namesake agricultural company based in Bastia d'Albenga. A farm founded over 60 years ago, dedicated to the production of vegetables.
The company spans approximately 25,000 square meters and is focused on vegetable production, although, as Stefano, the patriarch of the company, explains, they still grow flowers and aromatic plants, albeit in small quantities. The owner of the business is Ivo Paccino, supported by his father Stefano, who is always ready to provide advice and support during the most delicate and challenging times. Stefano Paccino shares: “Ever since I was a boy, I’ve cultivated the land that belonged to my parents. Later, I began renting small plots of land, and eventually, I purchased the land that is now the core of the company run by my son.”
Ivo Paccino continues: “Aside from a brief phase focused on flowers in the early 2000s, our company has always specialized in vegetable farming. We grow tomatoes, cultivated in greenhouses, which we can produce from May to December thanks to different varieties, some early and some late. Typically, in spring, we produce beefsteak tomatoes, while in autumn, we grow the Marmande variety. This latter type is more resistant and less prone to blossom end rot. In spring, we also grow artichokes, while in winter, we focus on Brussels sprouts, chard, and black cabbage. It’s a job that keeps us busy year-round with different products.
We’ve maintained a small production of dill, targeted at the Northern European market, as a filler during periods of lower vegetable production, along with rosemary for the same purpose. I believe diversifying crops is essential to always have an alternative, especially given the unpredictability of the market. For about ten years, we also produced daisies, but honestly, the flower sector is far removed from my way of working. It’s a stressful activity, and sales are concentrated in just a few months or even weeks. I prefer the consistency of vegetable farming, where you don’t gamble months of work on just a few days but can plan more calmly and manage your time independently.
We cultivate everything directly in the ground, with many products grown in greenhouses. It’s a fairly traditional farming method, which has evolved over time. For example, in the 1980s, the use of pesticides was much higher. Today, there’s been a significant reduction in their use. We don’t practice organic farming, but we are very cautious about the products we use. This, I believe, is a good thing because it means healthier products for consumption and a safer environment for those working the land.”
A renewed focus on the land, its preservation, and environmental protection.
Ivo Paccino explains: “In the past, you wouldn’t see wildlife, but today, fauna has returned to inhabit the countryside, sometimes excessively so, but it’s still the right thing. Crickets and frogs, which had disappeared, now populate our inland areas, and even turtles are no longer so rare. Unfortunately, sometimes we also get more harmful animals, like foxes or wild boars, but it’s a problem to be expected.
There are also beneficial insects deliberately used in agriculture. For example, we used to pollinate tomatoes manually, one by one, but now this labor-intensive task is carried out by bumblebees, which we introduce into the greenhouses through hives.”
Stefano Paccino adds: “Today, working in agriculture is different from how it used to be. I’m 85 years old and started when this sector was truly profitable. Nowadays, it’s much harder for young people to make a decent profit, buy land, or build a house. If you don’t have financial backing, so to speak, it becomes really challenging. The company I built in the 1970s would be much harder to establish today.”
Ivo Paccino confirms: “I started with an already established company. Today, I work with one full-time employee and with the invaluable support of my wife, Sabrina, who manages accounting and all the bureaucratic tasks. I don’t know if my children, Nicolò, 24, and Elisa, 12, will follow this path. At the moment, the older one has studied business administration and is building his future in his chosen field, while the younger one is still too young to decide.
Certainly, the future of this sector looks bleak, even though much is being done to protect and promote our products. In this regard, I commend the Cooperative, which in recent years has been doing important promotional work. A great example of this is the creation of the brand TipicoSì, which I enthusiastically joined. It’s a new project based on the pillars my family and I adhere to in our work: respect for the land, protection of traditional vegetables, promotion of products, and educating consumers about their characteristics. I believe it’s crucial to help consumers understand what’s on their table. Only this way can certain products be appreciated and not disappear, as some of our local specialties almost did in the past.”
[Interview from L’O, December 2024 edition]