On occasion of the AGM of the PDO Riviera Ligure EVO Protection Consortium, the members expressed their intention to continue the promotion of activities strongly linked to the territory, approve the changes to the PDO production specification (by making geographical mentions optional), defend the supply chain agreement, support initiatives to apply for PDO status for taggiasca olive.
90% of participants approved the 2019 financial statement of the Consortium, and the plan for the coming years. A loss of € 40,677 was voted.
“For a non-profit organization – underlines the President of the Consortium, Carlo Siffredi – this figure is not an indicator of good or bad management. On the contrary, these last years’ effective management has granted solidity of assets, which allows us to invest more, compared to the funding we obtained, in terms of communication and visibility of the product. 2019 proved essential to move from the promotion of a single product to the integrated valorisation of a system of excellence, the symbol of the territory”.
Examples include “Oliveti Aperti”, which established links between companies and tourism flows, workshops in schools, initiatives with famous chefs to foster the use of Ligurian products in restaurants.
“Last but not least, the joint initiatives led with the Enoteca Regionale della Liguria, the PDO Genoese Basil Protection Consortium and Regione Liguria – remembers Siffredi – that have contributed to establish Ligurian food’s reputation on national and foreign markets”.
The importance of the supply agreement is relaunched.
“This instrument has supported the world of production: prices have allowed companies to invest, for example recovering several olive groves” – continues the president of the PDO Riviera Ligure EVO Consortium. “Therefore, a booster for the valorisation for the communities that live and work in the Ligurian hinterland”.
The supply chain faces other challenges as regards production.
“During the AGM the consortium members approved the modification of the PDO specification to be presented to the MIPAAF and to the EU following the example of other PDO oils, i.e. making geographical mentions no longer mandatory but optional: it will be possible to produce PDO Riviera Ligure oil with local varieties found in Ligurian olive groves, even if this was not originally planned, transforming them and packaging the oil within the whole regional territory. It will also be possible to give greater prominence on the label to the local olive variety and to bottle the denomination in all the containers allowed by regulations”.
Finally, the PDO strategy also for Taggiasca olive.
“We are talking about the interests of the same production basis: achievement of PDO status of the taggiasca olive will lead to real and solid growth in this sector, allowing the entire supply chain to be recognized by consumers as the bearer of a high-quality reputation.
Taggiasca is a heritage of our territory. We cannot afford to let others permanently profit from this brand, putting our producers in difficulty”.
