The president of the Consortium for the Protection of Bergamot of Reggio Calabria Dop, Ezio Pizzi, calls for unity. To the territory and the producers.
“If we all go united to obtain this PDO recognition we will succeed in a few months because we have the possibility and we also have the political will expressed by the Region of Calabria. The territory help us, we are all on the same side, without further stances that are not needed.”
This is the president’s strong, soothing message. Pizzi wants to publicly thank Governor Roberto Occhiuto for his enlightened and courageous interpretation of the dynamics of recognizing the trademark for the protection of the Bergamot of Reggio Calabria and because, “Like any good father of a family, he has decided, without hesitation, the best path for everyone. Those who today must manage the fate of our land- says Pizzi-cannot have any hesitations or doubts. In the case of bergamot, Occhiuto, but also Councillor Gallo and the entire regional administrative governance, have sincerely wanted to affect with a fundamental contribution to complete the most linear and fastest institutional path, as well as the most significant one for the product.”
The Consortium, which, in recent months, had chosen the path of silence so as not to pander to further controversy, despite being “strong” even in the numbers of members (well over 500), considers itself “extremely satisfied” with the many interventions that are publicly supporting the path of the DOP.
In addition to Occhiuto, regional politicians and Calabrian parliamentarians, there is strong support from the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Reggio Calabria Tramontana, the Rector of the “Mediterranea” University Zimbalatti, and the Presidents of the agricultural confederations Borruto (Cia), Basile (Coldiretti), Canale (Confagricoltura) and Lentini (Copagri), who have reiterated, in a unified manner, the wish that the fresh bergamot fruit be awarded the DOP label. But also all the rest of the agricultural world and those, such as Professor Vincenzo Montemurro who, for the past 12 years, has been a “protagonist and authoritative scientific popularizer of the health properties of Reggio Calabria bergamot.”
Not forgetting the late Professor Franco Romeo who, the president recalls, “introduced me as a speaker at several national and international cardiology conferences to illustrate the properties of our citrus fruit closely linked to the territory.”
And again, the environmental association “Fare Verde” that qualified the current action.
For lawyer Pizzi, in short, we are faced with an “awakening of consciences” with civil society, the many producers who have never stopped “giving strength to our choices,” the institutions and a great many citizens who, today more than yesterday, must (and we must) unite, without any more polemics, all together to achieve a great, enormous, result for our beloved and identity citrus.”