Vastedda del Belice DOP forerunner of educational in places of production with media and operators in the sector

The first cycle of meetings dedicated to Sicilian DOP, IGP and QS products organized and coordinated by DOS Sicilia, i.e. the Association of Consortia for the Promotion and Enhancement of Typical Sicilian Agri-Food Products in Sicily, will kick off this week and end in 2024 DOP, IGP and QS brand that was born in 2020, with the aim of bringing together for the first time Associations and Consortia for the Enhancement and Protection of quality agricultural production.

“DOS Sicilia's mission is to promote the development and progress in the food sector of the Sicilian Region. The total value represented by the Protection Consortia present there – explains the President Massimo Todaro – reaches 40 million euros. There are currently 16 certified quality agri-food productions adhering to it and, thanks to the support of the Sicilian Region, with the Regional Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Mediterranean Fishing, DOS Sicily, it will be possible to network and promote, in the markets national and international, these Sicilian products of certified quality”.

Among the main objectives of DOS Sicilia, there is that of encouraging the aggregation of producers, as well as enhancing, promoting and spreading Sicilian agricultural and agri-food products of certified quality through the adoption of sustainable practices in production and transformation, with particular regard to the protection of the environment and human health. Nonetheless, DOS Sicilia is committed to combating any attempt at fraud that could affect individual supply chains and to promote sustainable consumption by facilitating the transition to healthy diets by following the principles of the Mediterranean Diet.

“The tool with which we will pursue these objectives, above all from a communicative point of view, will be the educational one – resumes Todaro – thanks to which we will bring sector operators and representatives of the media world to the territories of origin who will thus be able to tell the specifics of each production after having touched it by hand. It is believed that it is the most effective way to reach the consumer, so much so that we have already prepared an initial calendar of appointments, spread between 2023 and 2024".

The meetings already scheduled will be 17 and will last one day for each single event; the start of the activities is scheduled for the current month of May with the first of the appointments dedicated to the single products and the common program for each of the productions concerned from time to time will include a moment of discussion - which could be a conference or other dissemination – and a meeting including presentation and guided tasting of the product itself.

The series of meetings will therefore be opened by the first educational dedicated to the Vastedda del Belice DOP, which will take place in Contessa Entellina in the Feudo Pollichino dairy in Borgo Roccella where, in addition to a meeting dedicated to in-depth analysis of the product, there will be a guided tour of the farm and a showcooking with tasting of typical Sicilian products led by an Onaf Master Taster.

The educational activities already scheduled in the coming months will involve other certified Sicilian products, starting from 6 June with the Mount Etna DOP oil, the Provola dei Nebrodi DOP on 2 July and the Ciliegia dell'Etna DOP the following day, on 15 July will instead be the turn of Mazara DOP Oil and on 23rd Pecorino Siciliano DOP, the cycle of meetings will close on 8th September with Pesca di Leonforte.

The list of members of the DOS Consortium:

Cheese supply chain
1) Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian Pecorino DOP
2) Consortium for the protection of Piacentinu Ennese DOP cheese
3) Consortium of Provola dei Nebrodi DOP cheese
4) Consortium for the Protection of Ragusano DOP Cheese
5) Consortium for the Protection of Vastedda della Valle del Belice DOP

Oils and fats supply chain
1) Consortium for the Protection of Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Monte Etna
2) Consortium for the Protection of DOP Monti Iblei Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3) Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of Val di Mazara DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh or processed fruit, vegetables and cereals supply chain
1) Consortium Carrot Novella of Ispica PGI
2) Consortium for the Protection of Etna PDO Cherries
3) Leonforte PGI Fisheries Protection Consortium
4) Consortium for the Protection of the Bronte PDO Green Pistachio
5) Consortium for the Protection of the Pachino PGI Tomato

QS dies
1) Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of the Guaranteed QS Collective Mark
by the Sicilian Region for the Lamb/Agnellone and Derivatives Supply Chain
2) Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of the QS Collective Trademark guaranteed by the Sicilian Region for the Cow's Milk and Derivatives Supply Chain
3) Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of the QS Collective Trademark guaranteed by the Sicilian Region for the sheep's milk and derivatives supply chain