Mazzarrone table grapes must join forces

This was the claim of Salvatore Accardi - Chairman of the first Sicily’s Production Organization Ducezio, specialized in PGI Mazzarrone table grapes - during the conference held on Saturday, Sept. 6 in Licodia Eubea (Catania province) whose topic was “From competition to complementarity in the Mediterranean basin. The role of Sicily’s PGI Mazzarrone table grapes district”.
The recent creation one year ago of the PO Ducezio (that will exceed at end campaign 6 million euros turnover through its 160 member companies, for 350 ha total) actually pursuit that aim. Luciano Trentini, director of the centre for fruit&vegetable services CSO, invited to consider the other Mediterranean producers that will soon enter the Euro-Med free trade area not as simple competitors: “We don’t have to forget that new Countries also mean new consumers. Countries that we currently consider competing suppliers of fruit and vegetable tomorrow could become new destination market for Sicily’s production”, Trentini stressed.
According to Paolo Bruni, president of Fedagri-Conf cooperative, the way to pass from competition to complementarity is distinction: “To be successful in market it is not sufficient to produce a quality product, it is also required to diversify the production both in terms of innovation (of the product, the processes, the services) and of valorization, by a precise identity and marketing strategies such as a brand or geographical quality marks like PGI and PDO. In both case the production’s organization is fundamental and there is in Sicily a gap in this field that must be filled”, Bruni concluded.