From Torri del Benaco, in Verona, one of the northernmost olive-growing provinces of Italy, to Sciacca, in Agrigento, one of the southernmost olive-growing areas. A drizzle of oil, in the name of traceability and designation of origin certification, unites the two extreme points of Italy.
I am in Parma with Italia Olivicola, the producers’ organizations POG, Cooperative of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Producers from Lake Garda, and AGRISANA, also an agricultural cooperative society. Together these hundreds of olive growers tell a story made of passion for the olive tree and for the oil, with the desire to offer the consumer different and well-characterized extra virgin profiles. Garda Dop oil stands out for its naturally delicate flavor and its elegance. Upon tasting it is recognized by the harmony of its organoleptic notes and the light and balanced aromas: the fruity aromas, the fruity flavor with sweet notes combined with the typical almond aftertaste, make it unique. In Sicily, thanks to the Cerasuola, Biancolilla and Nocellara del Belice varieties, it is the tomato that dominates the organoleptic characteristics of the PGI Sicilia oil, which has a medium-intense fruitiness and also characteristic hints of artichoke, ideal for grilled fish , mixed salads and also a nice and simple bruschetta. But the producers of Italia Olivicola like to innovate and this is how POG presents not only the oil but an entire cosmetic line based on extra virgin olive oil, from hair conditioner to an intimate cleanser, because the natural well-being of olive tree does not just come from the table. A path, one devoted to quality, which cannot be done without professionalism. This is why Agrisana also offers its members a team of trained agronomists who can follow the production cycle of the olive tree, in the name of environmental sustainability and also of the organic farming system. For both companies, participation in Cibus di Parma is the opportunity to find new market outlets and make themselves known to new markets and consumers who are attentive to territoriality, guaranteed by the DOP and IGP labels.
Over twenty thousand olive growing companies from the three Italian olive growing regions overlooking the Mediterranean Sea are represented at Cibus in Parma, at the Italia Olivicola stand. He decides on different varieties, some perhaps better known such as the Calabrian Carolea, the Lazio Canino and the Campanian Ortice, others less known on the market and precious, because they are often cultivated only on small plots of land by some passionate olive growers, such as the Carboncella, the Sprina or the Pennulara. It’s not just about biodiversity to be safeguarded but also about aromas and flavors that can enhance traditional dishes but also revisited in a modern key. So the Teorema oil from the AOC of Roccabernarda surprises with its green, herbaceous fruitiness and hints of tomato, while at the same time being harmonious with an aftertaste of bitter almond. Attention to the environment is the hallmark that distinguishes all the producers of Mare Nostrum, who want to leave the younger generations with a better territory than they found it. This is why many of the products offered are organic, such as those of APPO in Viterbo, which wants to enhance the oil of its region also through the PDO Tuscia and the PGI Olio di Roma. A commitment not only aimed at marketing but also technical assistance to participating companies for environmentally friendly production techniques and support in traceability processes. The added value of cooperation lies precisely in offering olive growers access to certification systems that would otherwise be unattainable due to costs and complexity. This is how the consumer can obtain more guarantees and security, from traceability to sustainability. This applies to joining the SQNPI systems – Sustainable quality for the production of sustainable quality, a path that the AOS of Benevento has chosen for some time. And there are those who are not satisfied with giving certainties to the consumer with a single certification but rather combine two, as for the Alcinoo extra virgin olive oil from APOUNASCO of Catanzaro, which combines organic and Calabria PGI. From the field to the bottle, through cultivation and certified models, which can strengthen the most precious asset that the olive growers of Mare Nostrum have, not only the extra virgin olive oil product, but the trust in consuming goodness, well-being and territoriality.
