The regional branch of the Confederation if Italian Farmers (Cia) has come up with a list of priorities to help the Tuscan olive growing culture out of their present crisis.
The association's main goals are to renew olive groves by concentrating on local variables, bring down production costs and construct an integrated plan for the entire sector, including institutions for the new and improved Tuscan olive growing strategies.
Overall, the sector lost 40 percent of their production during the 2007 harvest, with losses up to 60 to 70 percent in some areas.
''The provinces must complete a technical review to determine how much of the loss can be attributed to environmental factors. Producers are in urgent need of a response, one way or another'', said Cia Toscana representative Alessandro Del Carlo, speaking at the round table discussion called by regional agriculture superintendent Susanna Cenni.
Del Carlo added that, ''production costs are the main priority of Tuscan olive growers. They must utilize the Rural Development Plan resources intelligently to modernize the equipment necessary to bring costs down''.
According to Del Carlo, ''machine technology should be encouraged while still conserving the traditional Tuscan varieties, which will allow the entire sector to significantly modernize its practices''.
