"The regional government has once again asked for concrete help to assist the growers who have been affected by the ToBRVF for months," said regional deputy Stefania Campo who attended the hearing of the 3rd Commission for Productive Activities to address the issues related to the spread of the virus.
"Our request for a hearing on this subject actually dates back to February 4, but those in charge have never considered acting on these plans."
There is still a state of institutional vacuum in Sicily, while growers are fighting the ToBRVF as best they can. If the hearing had been scheduled at the right time, action could have been taken to protect the growers with the help of the financial law.
Stefania Campo
The hearing was attended by a number of prominent figures, including Doses, the Southeastern Vegetable and Fruit District of Sicily, represented by its director Gianni Polizzi; the Consortium for the Protection of Tomatoes with the PGI of Pachino; representatives of packers and growers; Paolo Ristuccia and Giuseppe Cilio representing the packers of Vittoria.
Gianni Polizzi
"However, this meeting was also useless, as there was almost no member of the commission present, except for the two applicants (including myself) and the president, the councillor was not present and therefore no political commitment has been made, and the managers have limited themselves to nodding to our criticism, with regard to the only measure that was taken with the executive decree n.907 of 15 March, which imposed washing and burning (a very controversial imposition). Basically, the region has told growers to disinfect and then set fire to everything, regardless of the fact that plants are usually tied with plastic bands that, if burned, become very dangerous for public health."
Vittoria's fresh produce market
At the same time, one of the largest fruits and vegetable markets in Europe in Sicily is undergoing an important changing of the guard at the top of the Association of Concessionaires, which has elected a new board of directors. Giuseppe Zarba takes the helm from Giorgio Puccia.
The Vittoria vegetable market
The new board consists of Marco Arestia (vice president), Giuseppe Piccione, Giuseppe Di Pietro, Santo Trentuno, Gianni Nicosia, Andrea Di Stefano, Toni Margiotta, Salvatore Albani, Giovanni Gambina, Giuseppe Nicosia, Tonino Autiero and Giuseppe Di Stefano.
Giorgio Puccia, soon-to-be former president of the Associazione Concessionari del M.O. di Vittoria
"I wish Zarba and the new board of directors every success. The new president is a person I hold in high regard and who will not fail to leave his mark on one of the most important associations of Sicily and southern Italy," said Puccia.
Puccia is leaving the presidency of the association after a period of more than 6 years during which he has been a reliable, valued and loved reference point for the cultivation and marketing of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector.
"I am proud of this new task and honored by the trust placed in me.
I have already submitted a program with our goals. One of the key points of my mandate, and one of the many projects we will undertake, is the reworking of the financing of market activities and the traceability of crops supplied within the structure. The previous presidency did a huge job, which will now be continued in the name of fairness and transparency," said Giuseppe Zarba (pictured right).