The first batches of PGI (Protected geographical indication) Emilia-Romagna, Abate Fetel pears could leave as early as the next production campaign for the United States.

The pilot project to test the opportunities of the U.S. market for regional fruits and vegetables starting with PGI Abate pear for which the Italian region Emilia-Romagna is a world leader, was examined on January 29th, in Bologna during a meeting between the Senator of the US state of Delaware, Harris McDowell (an adviser to President Barack Obama for renewables) and the Regional Councillor for Agriculture in the Emilia-Romagna region, Tiberio Rabboni.

"The technical services of the region - said Rabboni - offer producers all technical support required to meet the U.S. phytosanitary regulations, particularly demanding and such that at present time it is very difficult to export on a large scale products such as apples and precisely pears."

For this reason, Senator Mc Dowell and Tiberio Rabboni said they were willing to engage in a technical common discussion for a review of the main phytosanitary problems on this subject.

Reached by FreshPlaza, Rabboni the commissioner Rabboni said: "The Senator has reserved a number of checks in the United States, the outcome of which will decide the continuation of the partnership. The issue is the U.S. law that demands the absence of the fruit fly not only from imported fruits, but also from the same orchard production."

"If from the U.S. side - continued Tiberio Rabboni - there is a reciprocal willingness to focus on the safety of imported fruit, and not on the formal and bureaucratic part, developments certainly will come. Therefore we await the next indications of the senator. At moment, we are dedicated to pears only because, as a region, we have leading manufacturing facilities in Italy and because other fruits, such as apples, have even more complex issues."