"Over the past few years, the consortium has been gladly approving requests for co-branding with big retail chains, the pillar of our sales to consumers. Supermarkets support our consortium and we appreciate their ability to promote our productions and their commercialization. However, we have noticed how some chains, especially a few discount ones, also use co-branding to launch promotional and sales campaigns almost below cost, especially at the start of the campaign," reports Diana.
Gerardo Diana
Diana did not wait for the campaign to start in December, but wrote a letter to big retail and discount chains instead.
"This behavior is not right. We oppose it and will do so anyway we can, remaining at the side of our partners, producers and packagers, to whom we are asking to refrain from participating. The consortium is working with our supervisory agents to identify and report all product depreciations - Icqrf and Comando Carabinieri per la tutela agroalimentare. We are aware of the effort required from the government and the big retail chain to contain consumer prices, though it is difficult to reduce production and commercialization costs."
"We want to reassure the big retail chain that the new commercialization campaign is looking good, with produce that is satisfactory when it comes to both quality and volumes, and that we can guarantee the supply of blood oranges throughout the campaign from December until May to meet the needs of both the Italian and foreign markets."
For further information:
Gerardo Diana
Consorzio di Tutela
Arancia Rossa di Sicilia IGP
Via San Giuseppe la Rena 30/B
95121 Catania (CT)
Operational headquarters:
Via Passo del Fico S.P. 70/I C/da Jungetto,
C/o MAAS Corpo B Catania
+39 095 507681
aranciarossadisicilia@gmail.com
www.tutelaaranciarossa.it