According to the Italian Minister for Agriculture, Teresa Bellanova, speculative action is being taken in several member states of the European Union, which “threatens to block the exports of Italian food”. In particular, Mrs Bellanova denounces “the position taken by a number of large European retail chains, which are calling for further guarantees about the safety of Italian food.”
This speculative action, due to and favored by the coronavirus crisis, has been denounced by the Italian Minister of Agricultural Policy in a letter sent to the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, and to the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza.
ITALIAN FOOD BETWEEN EXPORTS BLOCKADE AND SPECULATION
The Italian Minister refers to some so-called European purchasing centres, some of which “are asking for additional certifications for Italian products. They are treacherously asking for additional guarantees on the safety of food coming from Italy so that, starting from the coronavirus emergence, many Italian products are blocked. At the same time there is also speculation on the prices of food and raw materials” – Mrs Bellanova adds.
The Italian Minister has described these measures as “an unfair practice that must be condemned and stopped immediately, since there is no risk of virus transmission through food and packaging”. That is why “In agreement with the regional councillors, we asked President Conte and Minister Speranza to raise the specific awareness of the European Commissioner for Health by calling for action to state that additional certification requests for Italian food and beverage products are not legitimate neither tolerable” – Mrs Bellanova says.
The Italian Ministry of Agriculture also stigmatizes the “reactions of some European partner countries, which with the threat of blocking the borders of people coming from Italy are pushing the foreign (even seasonal) workforce to return to their countries of origin, penalizing our companies ” -. Furthermore, “Logistics and transport across borders are generating great insecurity for some productive sectors (starting with fruit and vegetables), due to the behavior of the authorities of Italy’s neighboring countries”.
THE HEALTHINESS OF ITALIAN FOOD PRODUCTS
“Our products are good, safe, they can and must be consumed with peace of mind anywhere in Italy and Europe”. This is how Minister Bellanova announced the extraordinary social lunch set up today at the Ministry. Promoted by AssoIttica, prepared by the cooks and chefs of the Hotelier Institute of Torcarbone, it is “A symbolic lunch that we host at the Ministry – Mrs Bellanova said – with which we emphasize a simple and very clear message: eating Italian is good for you. Our products are among the most controlled and our country boasts a unique food control system in terms of quality and volumes”.
