Csqa incorporates Check Fruit’s regulated certification activities

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (Masaf) has authorised Csqa to carry out checks on the Geographical Indications previously entrusted to the Check Fruit organisation, following the acquisition of the business unit dedicated to regulated and voluntary certification activities of Check Fruit .

Under the new ministerial decree, which entered into force on 1° July, Csqa has been appointed to oversee ten new Dop and Igp, all belonging to the fruit and vegetable sector.

The number of Geographical Indication supply chains under control rises to 98

With this new authorisation, Csqa now oversees a total of 98 Geographical Indications across numerous product categories, out of a national total of 334 Dop, Igp and Stg products in the agri-food sector alone.

This figure confirms the organisation’s central role in the certification of products with a Geographical Indication. These outstanding products are distributed across 15 Italian regions, involve more than 19.000 operators, and have a production value of 5,03 billion euros, equal to 52% of the total value of the Italian Dop Igp Stg food sector.

Fruit and vegetable products among the new entries

The new products entrusted to Csqa include fruit and vegetable products of outstanding importance to the national agri-food heritage: Arancia Rossa di Sicilia Igp, Mele del Trentino Igp, Patata di Bologna Dop, Pera dell'Emilia Romagna Igp, Clementine di Calabria Igp, Marrone di Castel del Rio Igp, Scalogno di Romagna Igp, Asparago Verde di Altedo Igp, Asparago di Cantello Igp and Ficodindia di San Cono Dop.

Also in the specific Dop Igp fruit and vegetable sector, Csqa confirms its leading position, with 45 Dop and Igp supply chains under control out of a national total of 129. The certified supply chains are distributed across 10 Italian regions, involve approximately 9.000 operators and account for 39% of the total value of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector with a Geographical Indication.

An evolving growth path

This authorisation represents a further milestone in Csqa’s growth and enhances a wealth of expertise built up over more than thirty-five years of activity serving Italy’s certified agri-food supply chains and the territories of origin they represent.

“The authorisation represents a very important step,” emphasises Maria Chiara Ferrarese, Csqa’s general manager and CEO. “For us, this operation is first and foremost a responsibility. It means making available to the supply chains the technical expertise, rigour and independence needed to protect certified products, producers and consumers. The trust confirmed by the Consortia and the operators involved strengthens our commitment to ensuring an authoritative, credible control system that remains close to the territories.”

“Geographical Indications are a strategic asset for the competitiveness of made in Italy, and their assurance system must be able to evolve alongside the supply chains. For this reason, we will continue to invest in expertise, innovation and the digitalisation of control processes, developing increasingly effective and efficient tools capable of meeting new requirements for traceability, transparency and enhancement of certified products. The aim is to help make the certification system increasingly robust, modern and suited to the future challenges facing Italy’s agri-food sector,” Ferrarese concludes.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.