Among the qualifying points Ten-year plan of storage and innovation, actions for transparency on price and transparency on origin, communication campaign for pasta, fight against food waste and support for the needy
"Writing together" from here to the beginning of the year a strategic plan for the wheat / pasta supply chain that looks to the 2030 and which has as priority areas supply chain contracts, investments on storage sites, research and innovation, transparency on price, transparency on the origin, support for the communication of pasta in Italy and abroad, fight against food waste.
These are the points with which Minister Teresa Bellanova wanted to open the meeting at the Mipaaf with representatives of the wheat and pasta industry this afternoon.
"I start from the supply chain contracts," said Bellanova, "to tell you that in the budget law we have allocated a total of 30 million euros from the 2020 to the 2022 for de minimis aid for grain, to which are added 10 million for the 2019 that we cover with savings on the Ministry budget. And even on past payments, I asked for an acceleration ".
"On the price", the Minister continued, "we are about to start experimentation for a national indicative price through the single Commission instrument while as regards transparency on origin we certainly do not want to take steps back with respect to the obligation to indicate in grain origin label in effect until 2020. It is a provision that guarantees transparent information to the consumer and can help to enhance the relationships between those who transform and those who cultivate. I will soon meet the new European Commissioner for Health also for a comparison on this aspect ".
Therefore, a communication campaign for pasta, to raise awareness among consumers on the importance of the work that is done to have such a good product, "We have allocated 1 million euros to you and we believe that the communication message and the contents of the campaign should be the operating group of this table to work. Just as our absolute commitment is to fight food waste and support the poor. Also here I want to thank Unionfood for the donation made on Friday to Sant'Egidio: a beautiful example of solidarity. We work to eliminate waste, I ask at all levels to intervene on this aspect ".
Finally, storage and innovation sites. "The storage sites in Italy are now to be renewed. If we want to achieve great quality, we cannot fail to innovate, "said Minister Bellanova. “If we look at 10 in perspective, we can think of renewing many structures with a useful collaboration between public and private. At the same time, we must invest in precision farming and research. The future of this supply chain also depends on its ability to adapt to the climate crisis, as well as on its ability to lower its environmental impact. We know of many ongoing trials, we believe that this table can also help in the exchange of experiences and in addressing where the efforts of public research are needed ".