PROFUMO DI BASILICO NEL PARMENSE - Puntata del 21-06-2026

Just outside Parma, in Mariano di Parma, Filippo Carrara's farm cultivates 50 hectares of open-field basil, destined for the sauce and pesto industry. The story began in the 1990s with his father, who bet on the aromatic herb, abandoning frozen produce in favor of fresh leaves; the original idea, however, dates back to his grandfather, who worked in the canning industry. Growing requires constant irrigation: the farm uses an underground drip system to prevent leaf moisture, the main cause of downy mildew. Weeds are managed mechanically and manually, with a team of 14 seasonal workers. Harvesting takes place from June to September, with shifts starting at 4 a.m. to avoid the heat that degrades the freshly cut produce; the basil is then cooled and delivered to the factories within hours. Each plant can be mowed up to five times per season, with a yield of approximately 600 quintals per hectare. The crop supplies the five large processing companies in the province of Parma. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL FOR NEW VIDEOS! .