Towards rice labeling, as requested by Piedmont
The origin of the product will be indicated on the rice packages. Consumers will know, thus, whether it is rice produced in the Vercelli or Lomellina or in Cambodia. A decree asking the European Union to authorize compulsory labeling for rice is ready for the signature of Ministers Martina and Calenda, on the model of dairy products, so as to indicate the country of origin and the processing of rice. In the decree there is also the request to the EU for the safeguard clause for rice and the import quota. The Agriculture Minister announced this Maurizio Martina at the rice supply chain table, meeting at the ministry to find solutions to the crisis in the sector, while an Italian rice growers' demonstration was held outside. The agricultural world is satisfied (perhaps less than that of the rice industry that wanted free hands on imports). The Regional Councilor for Agriculture of the Piedmont Region is satisfied Giorgio Ferrero, present at the Roman table: «Mandatory labeling is the main and necessary tool to enhance Piedmontese rice on the market which, we recall, with around 8 million quintals of annual production, represents over 50% of national production. Now our rice is anonymous, the market produced by other countries, including Asian ones, is sold on the market at a much lower price. Mandatory labeling performs this function: it reveals the origin of the rice, so that consumers know what's in the rice box they buy and can choose for themselves what to buy. The labeling is a request that we have been supporting for some time and also finds the unanimous consent of the Regional Council, which on an agenda yesterday specifically requested it ». In addition to the obligation of origin, Italy will ask Brussels for the activation of the safeguard clause to block rice imports from countries that enjoy the zero-duty tariff system despite the intensive use of pesticides that have been banned for years in the EU and exploit child labor, as reported by the producers of Coldiretti. There is also an extraordinary plan for the promotion and information on Italian rice, necessary to remedy the immobility of the Risi organization. «With imports of foreign products passed off as Italian that reached the historical record in the 2016, the introduction of the obligation of the label, strongly supported by Coldiretti, finally goes to protect a record-breaking reality in terms of quality, typicality and sustainability and, with it, the work of over ten thousand families of employees and entrepreneurs engaged in the entire supply chain - stated the president of Coldiretti Roberto Moncalvo - it is also an important signal of change also at the community level where we must now continue the battle for transparency ". The CIA is less enthusiastic, the second Italian agricultural association. "The problems connected to the market and the marketing of Italian rice - the organization writes in a statement - are not overcome with hasty and spot interventions, which seem to be propaganda. Rather, long-term policies and carefully considered interventions are needed, such as a promotional campaign on "Italian rice", a good law on internal trade, ad hoc measures on wild imports and greater attention to concessions between free trade areas for a product considered sensitive by the same European Commission. Thus the Italian CIA-Farmers on the crisis situation in the national rice sector ". "With regard to the issue of labeling - the CIA continues - we believe it is right to start the path to arrive at a clear system, avoiding messy solutions that do not bring benefits to producers and consumers. In particular periods of crisis of the domestic product, it would be necessary to regularize better the dynamics of import, also foreseeing measures such as the temporary block of imports of rice from Asia ".
