One of Italy's food glories, the Pachino tomato, is threatened by misguided nature conservation laws, Italian farmers say.
"Laws on preserving Sicilian green areas are preventing Pachino producers from expanding their greenhouses," the farm association Coldiretti said Monday.
"Red tape is posing more of a threat than viruses," the association claimed.
Coldiretti has appealed to regional and national bodies to waive building restrictions in wilderness zones so the farmers can keep up a drive to boost the international popularity of the Pachino.
"Paradoxically, greenhouse farming is not viewed as a traditional form of growing and is therefore penalised by regulations that should be helping the Pachino," Coldiretti said.
The consortium of Pachino farmers won a victory for their tiny, juicy product when it was awarded a European Union seal of approval two years ago, getting the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certificate.
"All that effort could be squandered by these illogical laws," Coldiretti said.
Thanks to the PGI award, consumers throughout the EU can identify real Pachino tomato by a logo showing a map of Sicily with the southern tip circled, where the town of Pachino is situated.
Pachinos are grown all around the town, on farmland stretching down to the sea and near the baroque jewel of Noto to the west.
The area is hot all year round and never suffers frosts thanks to its sea breezes.
Coupled with good irrigations, this makes for ideal conditions for greenhouse crops like the local pride.
All Pachino growers are registered and have to meet strict standards and present regular reports.
The Pachino is one of a crop of products that have enabled Italy to overtake France in the EU quality-food stakes.
