Sweet, crispy with a hint of tart, Treviso Red Radicchio was the first EU vegetable to receive the Pgi sticker in 1996. While Pgi radicchio exports still account for only 10% of the certified crop, the Consortium wants to pursue growth in export markets. It now has an EU patent pending and will lodge other applications for protecting proprietary rights in non-EU markets like Switzerland, Russia and the U.S. where the seal doesn’t ap- ply. It will take time and keep the Consortium busy for some years ahead.
Focus on big retail
Consortium director Denis Susanna said that “We’ve been hard at work these past three years pursuing supply agree- ments with the big retail chains. They’re very important outlets. We’ve seen that packaging can make a big difference here”. Nearly all the growers today have adopted the wrapped punnet containing two heads of Pgi Treviso Red.
“This year – added Consortium vice-president Andrea Tosato – we’ve applied for GlobalGap certification the big international chains demand. It’ not easy to secure it for a niche product like ours. We’re also trying to develop business with the food service and catering trade”.
The Consortium is even in pursuit of higher quality. It’s involved in an R&D project with Dafnae of Padua University. The joint effort is aimed at estimating and controlling the content of bitter compounds that can pose a problem for Treviso Red in certain crop seasons.
