After that of rice, which came into force Tuesday, Wednesday is the "big day" of the compulsory origin label for pasta, a revolution in the name of transparency and food security for the food most loved by Italians, who snaps right on Valentine's day. "A revolution strongly desired by Coldiretti and Italian consumers, which will have positive effects also for the many producers of wheat in the province of Ravenna where on 116,000 hectares of agricultural land, there are 24 thousand (then a good 20%) those cultivated with wheat - explain from Coldiretti Ravenna - of these 13,400 to soft wheat and the remaining 10,600 to durum wheat with a total production harvested in quintals of over 1,200,000 (half, 600 thousand quintals of durum wheat) and if we add corn, about 5 thousand hectares, the percentage of cereal cultivation on the total of the hectares cultivated in the province rises to 25% Despite the huge Italian production, sustained in large part by the Emilia-Romagna which 'produces' 14 million quintals of wheat thanks to the 30 thousand farms that grow an area of 324 thousand hectares for a value of 340 million euros, there are 2.3 million tons of durum wheat coming from abroad every year, without this coming ga known to consumers ".
With the entry into force of the compulsory origin label, it will be possible to know the origin of the wheat used in pasta, "putting an end to the deception of imported products, passed off as national, in a situation where one pack of pasta in three is made with foreign wheat, as well as a pack of rice out of four without that this was so far indicated on the label.It is finally clear - comments the president of Coldiretti Ravenna Massimiliano Pederzoli - Consumers can make informed purchases and know what they bring on For example, they will be able to know whether or not the Canadian wheat treated in pre-harvest with the glyphosate, which is forbidden on Italian wheat, is present in the pasta that is being purchased, we are satisfied, also because this is the result of the wheat war launched by Coldiretti with dozens of thousands of farmers took to the streets to defend against the risk of abandonment of the most widespread cultivation in Italy ".
Coldiretti, who organized the Pasta Day on the occasion of the entry into force of the two interministerial decrees on the indication of the obligatory origin of rice and wheat, recalls that the labeling is a choice applauded by 96% of consumers who asks to be written the origin of all foods is clearly and legibly labeled and confirmed in Italy by the Lazio TAR, which specified that "public interest prevailing in informing consumers also considering the outcome of public consultations about the importance given by Italian consumers to the knowledge of the country of origin and / or place of origin of the food and of the primary ingredient ". "According to the decree, the packages of dry pasta produced in Italy - explains Coldiretti - will from now on have to have indicated on the label the name of the country in which the wheat is grown and that of milling, if it comes or was milled in several countries the following wording can be used, depending on the case: EU countries, non-EU countries, EU and non-EU countries, and if at least 50% of the durum wheat is grown in one country, such as Italy, you can use the words: "Italy and other EU and / or non-EU countries".
SOURCE> RavennaToday
