Protection consortium: "Commitment also in the promotion of tourism linked to the DOP" CSQA confirmed for checks on the certified supply chain with the aim of continuing to guarantee the highest quality to the consumer
The Central Inspectorate for the Protection of Quality and Fraud Repression (ICQRF) of agri-food products of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (Masaf), has renewed the authorization for the next three years, with Ministerial Decree, to CSQA to carry out controls for Strachitunt PDO cheese.
Strachitunt DOP, a thousand-year-old cheese from Val Taleggio, is an expression of the great Bergamo and Lombard dairy craftsmanship . Lombardy - the third region in terms of PDO PGI economic impact - in fact boasts 34 food products with Geographical Indication, 15 of which belong to the cheese sector. The province of Bergamo - production area of the PDO - has 9 PDO cheeses and is the only Italian province, but also in Europe, with such a record.
In the three-year period 2019-2021, the Strachitunt PDO supply chain annually supplied 32.5 tons of certified product (three-year average) equal to approximately 280,000 euros in production value and 634,000 euros in consumption value (three-year average) contributing, thanks to the work of 14 operators , to the basket of Lombardy which can boast a heritage of over 2.18 billion euros in production value in the PDO IGP food sector alone ( Ismea-Qualivita Report Data 2022).
The supply chain continues its growth under the banner of young milk producers and breeders who embrace the DOP project dedicating themselves to the production of milk for the creation of the historic cheese, now a lever for the development of the activities of Val Taleggio. Thanks to the cooperative fabric in the area, in addition to the value and recognition of the DOP product, collaboration is ensured with young entrepreneurs who have chosen to stay and work in the dairy sector of the valley.
The Consortium for the Protection of Strachitunt and some producers have also started a program of actions aimed at implementing the hospitality sector and the promotion of tourism linked to the PDO chain. A commitment of great importance in the DOP Tourism sector not only for the economic sustainability of the companies involved in the production chain of the Strachitunt DOP product, but also for the economic-cultural and territorial context as a whole of the whole territory of Val Brembana (BG). Among the actions being developed in this context, there is also the creation of a territorial network capable of creating collaborations and contacts between companies, schools and local institutions, with a positive impact on the whole economy and social welfare.
"The confirmation of CSQA, the leading certification body in Italy in the field of Geographical Indications" - says Alvaro Ravasio, President of the Protection Consortium - was wanted as in the past years it has shown us great professionalism and we believe that this, together with our commitment and professionalism, is able to give the maximum guarantees to the companies that operate within our Consortium and to the final consumer" .
“ Our confirmation as control body for Strachitunt DOP - underlines Pietro Bonato, Director General and CEO of CSQA - is the result of the work carried out in terms of guaranteeing this very ancient product, made with traditional methods and handed down for generations. Extraordinary is the commitment of the operators engaged daily and actively in safeguarding the precious heritage of knowledge associated with it, which contributes to the protection of the culture, the environment and the history of Val Taleggio. We are therefore proud to continue on the path undertaken and of the renewed trust in CSQA on the front of the enhancement of products with designation of origin ".
The Strachitunt PDO confirms the value of the PDO PGI product portfolio certified by CSQA , which currently has 72 Geographical Indications : a figure that underlines the desire to increasingly accompany the development of quality agri-food supply chains, a symbol of Made in Italy and the vocation of the territories .