Bergamot of Reggio Calabria PDO: new control plan to grow the certified supply chain

The Ministry of Agricultural Policies authorizes the new certification body.
70th DOP IGP controlled by CSQA which confirms its leadership in the sector.

The approval of the control plan of the DOP Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - Essential Oil by the Central Inspectorate for the Protection of Quality and Fraud Repression of agri-food products (ICQRF) of the Mipaaf has been published, as a new step towards the marketing of the Calabrian denomination.

CSQA Certificazioni will carry out the task of control and certification, under the supervision of Mipaaf, which consolidates the vocation to support the development of Italian quality systems in the territories, in particular of the Geographical Indication supply chains , thanks to the seventieth PDO IGP controlled .

A certified excellence with excellent potential that will help the growth of Calabria 's quality supply chains which, to date, has 38 PDO PGI TSG agri-food and wine products in the regional territory, a heritage, according to the data of the Ismea-Qualivita 2021 Report, from 44 million euros to production involving around 1950 operators .

The Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - DOP Essential Oil , produced from a symbolic fruit of the region, will be able to contribute to the Calabrian basket thanks to the development of a potential estimated at over 10 million euros, the result of the work of 28 operators. A production that has also received expressions of interest from abroad with France and Germany in the lead, followed by the USA, Japan and China (Source: Bergamot Protection Consortium of Reggio Calabria).

Among the most relevant elements of the new control plan that will be applied to all subjects of the regulated supply chain - agricultural producers, intermediaries, processors and packers - the verification of Bergamot plants, fruits and essential oil and the final control of the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics.

“The new control plan - underlines Ezio Pizzi, President of the Consortium for the protection of Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - represents a further step towards the construction of a supply chain capable of enhancing a fruit with unique characteristics in the world. In fact, we are committed to involving new producers and extending the DOP to the food and agri-food market, also promoting its use in this sector, in addition to the perfumery one. In this process, we consider CSQA a very competent certification body also for controlling the development of a large sustainable bergamot supply chain, both fruit and essence".

“The conferment of the assignment as control body of the Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - DOP Essential Oil ” - says Pietro Bonato, General Manager and CEO of CSQA - “is further confirmation of our company's commitment in terms of certification, enhancement and development of products with designation of origin. Bergamot is one of the symbols of Calabria and its biodiversity: from this extraordinary citrus fruit, which has found its ideal habitat along the Ionian coast of the province of Reggio Calabria, a very precious essential oil is extracted, known and appreciated by the market and by consumers. We are certain that its development and consolidation, both on the Italian and international markets, will find the driving force behind growth in this process of enhancing typicality".

>> SEE THE DATA SHEET OF BERGAMOT OF REGGIO CALABRIA – DOP ESSENTIAL OIL <<