The Minister of Agriculture has announced the opening of the Brazilian market to Italian strawberry plants, which until now could only be exported if sourced from authorized foreign nurseries, often located in Spain.
Minister Lollobrigida stated: "It is an extraordinary achievement for Italian companies in the sector, which will now be able to access one of the most dynamic and strategic agricultural markets in Latin America, further strengthening their international presence and enhancing the excellence of Italian nursery material and plant production. Once again, we demonstrate that the rigorous phytosanitary controls carried out in Italy are a model that inspires trust abroad as well.
As a Government, we have worked with all stakeholders of the Italy System with a clear vision: to ensure the quality and safety of our products, overcoming bureaucratic obstacles and building new opportunities together with businesses. The policies for the primary sector of the Meloni Government are delivering results, providing certainty to those who work in the sector, also thanks to the investments generated in support of agriculture and its future.”
Thus commented the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, on the decision of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), through which the Brazilian market is officially opened to strawberry plants of Italian origin. Exports can already begin, as the measure has been published in the Brazilian Official Gazette.
The technical and scientific value of this achievement is also highlighted by Gianluca Baruzzi, researcher at CREA – Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops, based in Forlì, who has long been involved in genetic improvement and varietal enhancement of Italian strawberries.
“The opening of the Brazilian market to strawberry plants of Italian origin represents a very important step for the entire national nursery and production supply chain. It is the recognition of long-standing work, in which research, institutions and businesses have collaborated to enhance the quality of Italian plant material and its ability to adapt to highly attractive international production contexts.
Brazil is a market with significant potential for strawberry production, and experience gained over the years has shown that Italian varieties and selections can also find favorable conditions in that area. This result opens new opportunities for Italian nurseries and also confirms the role of public research in generating innovation, competitiveness and international relationships for the benefit of the entire sector.”
The achievement of this objective is the result of a long and demanding negotiation process launched in 2017, during which companies in the sector and the relevant institutions worked in close synergy, demonstrating how public-private collaboration can lead to concrete and lasting results for the benefit of the entire supply chain.
