The minister began by saying: “Only one out of the ten products marked as made in Italy is really made in Italy”.
The fake italian food thrives not only overseas but also in the kitchens of the restaurants in Italy. Tradinvest TV engaged in reporting of false Italian food cases around the world has interviewed the Minister of Agriculture Luca Zaia on this issue.
“For our economy this is a huge loss. If you consider that the agrifood export worth about 24 billion euros each year” he says. Fundamental for the Minister is the “zero tolerance” policy in Italy where ” a few weeks ago, we seized 340 tonnes of San Marzano false tomatoes ready for shipment in the U.S.” said Zaia. But of course, controls on international markets are very important as well, the creation of basic rules in the WTO is a must.
The “Made in Italy” success comes from the ability to promote the area and the product as a whole, the case of Friulano Wine is an extraordinary example, “the new name, Friulano, is meant to sell wine along with the territory, and this was a great intuition of the Councillour for the agricultural policies of Friuli Venezia Giulia Claudio Violino” said the Minister during the signing cerimony of the Protocol that will provide an investment of 10 million euros for the promotion of Friulano wine.
In 1993, the EU has decided for the first time to protect the name Hungarian Tokaji “to the detriment of the Tocai “friulano”and “Tocai italic”. Then they decided that there would be a transitional period until 31 March 2007, during which it was allowed the designation “Tocai Friulano” for the wine produced in the Friuli Venezia Giulia. Since then, several successive stages of the story, until, with Ministerial Decree of 25 September 2008, it was adopted the final requirements for the use of the synonym “Friulano”.
Finally after the funeral during the 2008 edition, on April 2nd 2009 the christening of Friulano was celebrated at the Vinitaly area of the Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The Regional Councillour for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural resources, Claudio Violino signed the regional agreement that gives the State’s support to the campaign to promote the new name: ‘Friulano’.
The sum of eight million euros earmarked by the state for the next two years, it will complement a grant from the Region for a further two million. This money will help to promote the wines with a designation of origin, to form and inform producers, developing markets and consumer trends, and to provide more information to consumers about the new name of the grape and wine region.
The satisfaction of the producers of the region, which, in addition to the Minister of Agriculture and Luca Zaia and the Councillor Claudio Violino was added to the pleasure about the date that was chosen for the signing of the Agreement: April 3rd 2009, the 932mo anniversary of the foundation of the “Patria del Friuli”.
