Update Lecosflo Project
Pescia, 12.21.2021
I, Dr. Stefano Grazzini, as the consultant assigned by the lead and coordinator of the project intends to point out the intention of the leader of Project Lecosflo, Flora Toscana sac, (Submeasure 16.2 PIF 27/2017) to inform the Region of Tuscany, in particular Dr. Fabrizia Fagnani and Dr. Nocentini, that due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, the project in question will undergo some technical adjustment, while keeping its integrity.
The adjustments are due primarily to the following causes:
- Difficulties in finding a container in the times and modes required by the project for the shipping of vegetable products in the USA
- Difficulties in finding naval shipping in the times and modes required by the project for the shipping of vegetable products in the USA
- Difficulties that arise at the arrival in the port of Miami (USA), with long extended waiting time for the landing, which can reach up to a month, consequently putting the integrity of the product at risk
- Increase of related costs over 500%
In order to continue the project, the following adaptive conditions have been found:
1) Simulate the trip by ship utilising a cold storage in the firm, where the temperature conditions and humidity similar to those of the transportation by sea.
2) Perform a shelf-life test on the product once it reaches the time simulation of the trip. This could allow us to evaluate the state of the product, if the trip by sea should be longer compared to the scheduled.
3) Send a part of the prepared product to Flora Toscana by plane, with those few flying companies that allow it. Once it lands, request that the product to be conserved for three weeks in a cold storage, in a collection centre chosen at the moment of the aerial shipment.
4) In order to make a technical and local markets evaluation, Travel to Miami as soon as there will be appropriate conditions and hoping that these circumstances could be still in place as the product arrives in the USA.
5) LCA including among the variables the simulation in the firm along with the transport by ship.
The aforementioned operations have been accepted, on a preliminary basis, by the firm and by its various partners. Furthermore, the enterprise has already presented and obtained an extension of the deadline of the request in August 2022.
