Azienda Agricola Salemi Pina, based in Sortino, operates on farmland located just a few kilometers from the town, nestled in the heart of the Iblei Mountains—a region characterized by rolling hills and elevations that define its unique agricultural and environmental features.
Although the area is not traditionally known for intensive tomato cultivation, the farm has successfully enhanced the value of the hilly lands of the Iblei by dedicating them to open-field cultivation of organic cherry and date tomatoes, exclusively destined for the production of organic tomato sauce.
This is a deliberate choice, consistent with a production philosophy rooted in authenticity and direct control over the supply chain: from transplanting to packaging, each step is carefully managed to produce a high-quality organic purée, free from chemical residues and rich in the genuine flavor of Sicilian tomatoes.
To ensure targeted, sustainable, and efficient irrigation, a custom-designed drip irrigation system was implemented, optimized for water management on uneven terrain with varying slopes.
The fields were divided into four blocks, each further split into two separate irrigation zones corresponding to higher and lower elevations. In the lower zones—where water pressure exceeds the system’s design limits—pressure-reducing valves were installed to stabilize operational pressure, ensuring consistent and uniform water distribution across the entire cultivated area.
Fertigation is managed through an AMIAD pump, known for its reliability and dosing precision, which guarantees accurate and even distribution of nutrients directly through the irrigation system.
The system uses 10-mil tape, 22 mm in diameter, with emitters spaced every 20 cm and a flow rate of 0.6 L/h. This configuration is ideal for open-field vegetable crops, delivering water consistently and directly to the plant base—minimizing waste and improving overall water efficiency.
The setup also includes main and secondary pipelines, filters, and fittings, allowing for flexible and rational irrigation management tailored to different crop stages and soil conditions.
By adopting this system, despite the challenges posed by the irregular topography, we have been able to ensure uniform distribution of both water and nutrients.
With this approach, the farm has shown that even on challenging terrain, high-quality, sustainable tomato farming is not only possible but also capable of producing transformed products that tell a story of land, passion, and conscious choice.
