by InTrieste
At a meeting in Trieste on Monday, regional officials and agricultural representatives discussed trade rules, food labeling and the broader challenges facing the farming sector in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The governor, Massimiliano Fedriga, and the regional councillor for agricultural resources, Stefano Zannier, met with leaders of Coldiretti, including the regional president Martin Figelj, during an expanded council meeting of the group.
Among the topics discussed was a proposal supported by Coldiretti to revise European customs rules governing food labeling. The organization has argued that labels should indicate the country where a food product is actually produced, rather than the country where it undergoes its final processing step.
Mr. Fedriga said the request reflected concerns already raised within the regional council. Assigning the origin of food products to the country of production, he said, would improve transparency for consumers and help protect local agricultural systems.
Regional officials described the meeting as a broad review of issues affecting agriculture in the region, calling the exchange “useful and positive.”
Mr. Fedriga also highlighted existing regional measures designed to support the sector, including the use of revolving funds that provide financing to agricultural businesses and policies intended to promote the distinctive quality of regional products.
The regional government, he said, remains open to supporting initiatives that could strengthen the international presence of local products and enhance what he described as the region’s “DOP economy,” referring to foods protected by the European Union’s designation of origin system.
Agriculture remains a significant sector in Friuli Venezia Giulia, with more than 12,000 farms and an annual production value exceeding €1.3 billion. The region counts 26 products with geographical indication status, involving roughly 3,400 producers.
