Directors of CSO Italy, Fruitimprese and Assomela use opportunity to promote fresh produce business and raise awareness of major challenges
The directors of three of Italy’s most important trade associations have seized the opportunity presented by this week’s G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Agriculture in Syracuse, Sicily, to focus attention on some major challenges that face the country’s fresh produce business.
The G7 meeting takes place on 26-28 September in Syracuse’s historic centre on the island of Ortygia. There, within the walls of an ancient fort called Castello Maniace, a separate event called Divinazione Expo 24 brings together several of Italy’s leading agri-food companies.
And among them, a trio of associations that represent the majority of fruit and vegetable suppliers in the country – CSO Italy, Fruitimprese, and Assomela.
Paolo Bruni, president of CSO Italy, said the event helped to highlight the produce industry’s importance. “Our presence here, in the beautiful setting of Ortigia, gave us the opportunity to speak to the consumer and show our excellence,” he said.
“The crisis in fruit and vegetable consumption is one of the most important problems in our sector. Since 2022, retail purchases by Italian families have decreased by 800,000 tonnes, or 15 per cent less in just two years.”
Marco Salvi, president of Fruitimprese, said the event had been a real success, and gave industry leaders the chance to speak with senior government officials.
“We discussed with [Italy’s Agriculture] Minister Lollobrigida and the institutions, together with our partners CSO Italy and Assomela, the open dossiers that are of close interest to us at Fruitimprese, such as the thorny issue of European politics that imposes a reduction in pesticides that harms us, worse than climate change,” he commented. “A discussion that we will resume in Rome in the next few days.”
Assomela director Giovanni Missanelli, was also present. “It was important to be here, as a national association, together with other flagship Italian agri-food products,” he noted.
“With apples we undoubtedly represent one of these specialities. Furthermore, Ortygia offered us the opportunity to hold useful meetings to address the pressing current challenges that we face as a sector Italy.”
The event was also a perfect moment for the Syracuse Lemon PGI Consortium to show off its unique, locally produced fruit – something it achieved by placing its LemON Tour truck by the entrance to Castello Maniace.
