Tomato Excellent, a Grand Gala event for tomatoes in Sicily

Tomato Excellent, the contest that focuses on Sicilian fruit and vegetable specialties, is back. Now in its fourth edition, the award invented by the event's patron, Rosario Sallemi, was held in Ragusa at the Donnafugata Castle, a location that perfectly combines the themes of agriculture with those of culture, both expressions of a generous territory with enormous potential yet to be developed.

At the center, the organizer Rosario Sallemi

The 'Tomato Excellent' award is aimed at companies operating in the coastal strip devoted to intensive greenhouse horticulture that stretches from Palma di Montechiaro (AG) to Pachino (SR), with the epicenter being Vittoria (RG), where most of the GDP of the targeted territories is produced.

The large audience attending the event

An area that also extends to the provinces of Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Ragusa, and Syracuse, with nearly 9,000 hectares between greenhouses and tunnels. Here more than 25 percent of the national greenhouse area is counted, with horticultural production accounting for 27.4 percent of the national total, with peaks of more than 50 percent for table tomatoes. In fact, more than 4,000 hectares are dedicated to tomatoes alone for the fresh market, a record that many people ignore. Important areas are also always found here for bell peppers (1300 ha), eggplants (1100 ha), and courgettes (960 ha), to which more or less marginal crops must be added.

The aforementioned socio-economic aspects are of the utmost importance, therefore, deserving of recognition, starting with 'His Majesty the table tomato,' the main protagonist of the sector.

The Grand Gala first awarded four special prizes to the best varieties, selected from a maximum of four for each segment. For the Tomato specialties category, the award was presented to Enza Zaden for the Santy Yellow F1 variety; the Tondo liscio (cluster) award was given to Cora Seeds for the Rivaldo F1 variety; the Plum and mini plum award was given to Agrisementi for the Demetrio variety; and the Cherry and Datterino awards were given to Tech Seeds for Livanti F1 and Bayer Seminis for the SV1201TC variety, respectively.

In the background, the Donnafugata Castle in Sicily

This was followed by the "Scientific Research Award," which went to university professor and virologist Salvatore Walter Davino for his efforts in counteracting the ToBRFV virus. While the 'Special Memorial Award' was conferred on the late Renato Cilia, a nurseryman who made the history of Sicilian horticulture. Finally, the 'Award to a Sicilian Seed Company' was won by Southern Seeds, which stood out in varietal innovation design related to the area.

A group picture with the awardees

Among the many notable personalities attending the event were the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Commission, Sen. Luca De Carlo, the regional councilor for Agriculture, Hon. Luca Sammartino, Sen. Salvatore Sallemi, Hon. Luca Cannata, and, among the many mayors attending, were the mayor of Vittoria, Hon. Francesco Aiello, and the mayor of Pachino, Carmela Petralito. Representing the Free Municipal Consortium of Ragusa was executive Raffaele Falconieri.