THE ITALIAN PEANUT SUPPLY CHAIN IS REBORN

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After almost 50 years, the 100% Italian peanut supply chain returns to the market. The agreement signed between SIS, Coldiretti and Noberasco has already borne fruit and, on 10 September, it was officially presented to the press. It is a wide-ranging project that has the right stuff to grow and respond to a large market of consumers who prefer the quality of a national product and who will be able to purchase it in the next few weeks.

Smaller, darker, with a high protein content and a unique taste that satisfies the palate of connoisseurs; very different from the Egyptian and Israeli peanuts that we find today on the shelves. It is the protagonist of the Italian peanut supply chain that returns to the market after almost 50 years, thanks to the initiative of SIS (Società Italiana Sementi, of the agro-industrial group BF spa – http://www.sisonweb.com/it), Coldiretti (with Filiera Agricola Italiana spa – http://www.fieragri.it) and Noberasco (Italian food company leader in the dried and dehydrated fruit sector – https://www.noberasco.it/). The project required three years of great effort to fine-tune all the operative phases of the supply chain, from cultivation to commercialization and, soon, it will also achieve certification. The press conference for the rebirth of the Italian peanut supply chain was held today 10 September at the headquarters of SIS.

Federico Vecchioni, CEO of BF Spa and SIS said: “Once again what made possible an important project like this was the ability of the operators of the agro-industrial chain to create alliances (…) for achieving a common goal: the consumer well-being”. The Italian peanut, produced in two varieties, comes from the recovery of ancient seeds that were cultivated in the years after the Second World War; an operation in which SIS has invested its long experience as a leading company in the seed sector.

The President of SIS, Mauro Tonello, said: “Italian quality agriculture (…) is going to regain possession of a high value-added supply chain such as that of the peanut, lost over time because it was considered not convenient (…). Reviving a supply chain means restarting a set of skills, know-how, investments in agriculture, industry and fundamental applied research in a context of economic recovery”.

In Italy, about 57 million kilos/year of peanuts are consumed (source: Istat); to cover the entire national needs, production would need 30 thousand hectares of land. In this start-up phase only 18 hectares are cultivated. The demand for a healthy, sustainable and quality product represents a huge potential for development so, in the coming years, the whole sector will be committed to reactivating the necessary agricultural and industrial aspects to respond to a demand from consumers that promises to be of great value.

“The first crop – stated Ettore Prandinidemonstrates the great capacity for innovation of Made in Italy agri-food and responds to the demand of that 82% of Italians looking on the shelves national products “. This supply chain initiative therefore goes in the right direction and represents a model to follow also for other sectors “.

Mattia Noberasco, CEO of Noberasco, highlighted that the project “combines innovation, quality, transparency and strong commitment to invest in the territory. We want to create a line of made in Italy products and thanks to these supply chain agreements we pursue our commitment to educate the consumer in healthy eating styles”.