Toscano PGI is the most loved and sold extra virgin olive oil in the world with a turnover of 41 million euros. A well-deserved international success for the number one symbol of the Mediterranean Diet which, however, also makes it one of the Made in Tuscany products most “struck” by the phenomenon of Italian sounding.
“It is essential to intensify controls on the markets and on the web while simultaneously widening the range of bilateral agreements with non-EU countries to raise the level of protection even in those markets where today our producers are not protected such as for example in the United States, which is the main importer of Toscano PGI, China and others. The competitiveness of the Toscano PGI depends on the system’s ability to defend it from attempts at counterfeiting and imitation which disorientate the consumer and undermine its reputation”: this is the invitation and at the same time the warning launched by the President of the Consortium for the Protection of Toscano PGI, Fabrizio Filippi from the stage of the States General of national and international extra virgin olive oil which were held in Siena in the meeting dedicated to PDO PGI oils organized by the Qualivita Foundation and Origin which strongly supported “the reform of the geographical indications licensed by the EU and aimed at strengthening protection in the online environment through ex-officio protection for domains”.
The States General have consolidated the central position of the Tuscan Protected Geographical Indication which represents 95% of the entire certified production of the region in a national olive growing context where GI productions (50 between PDO and PGI) account for just 5% of the oil produced in Italy as emerged during the day. “The objective is to continue working to increase certified production, to satisfy a growing demand, recovering abandoned olive trees which represent over 30% of the entire regional heritage and focusing decisively on regional varieties and increasingly more rational – concludes the President of the Tuscan PGI Consortium – The challenge is to be able to increase production by up to 20%”.
Of CS
