Cooperation Project

The project “LA FILIERA CORTA DI ECCELLENZA DEL BASILICO GENOVESE DOP PER IL MERCATO FRESCO” (THE SHORT SUPPLY CHAIN OF EXCELLENCE OF PDO GENOVESE BASIL FOR THE FRESH MARKET), admitted for funding, makes the cooperation between the three individual farms of Ruggero Rossi, Roberto Casotti and Francesco Ratto, the cooperative of the Unione Agricola Genovese (Genoese Agricultural Union), as associated subject, the operator of the agri-food supply chain, Rossi 1947, and the Consortium for the Protection of PDO Genovese Basil feasible.

The main product of the project is the fresh PDO Genovese Basil grown in the western area of Genoa by the members of the Unione Agricola Genovese (Genovese Agricultural Union), obtained from whole hand-picked plants.

It is a product that comes from the “historical” agricultural reality of the Genoese area, the result of a high degree of specialization, which has contributed significantly to the connotation of traditional farming practices and has generated a unique product, whose worldwide fame has its roots. in this territorial context.

The main purpose of the project is to select a market niche of excellence for fresh PDO Genovese Basil and its semi-finished products, which is capable of adequately remunerating and enhancing this product of the highest quality profile, promoting its recognition and enhancing its use both as an ingredient in the kitchen and in combination with dishes, consolidating the product-territory relationship in terms of the promotional image of Liguria.

The cooperation activity revolves around the crucial role played by the Unione Agricola Genovese (Genoese Agricultural Union) and its objectives are aimed at both the internal development of the project and the external one, specifically:

to identify, apply and verify specific quality and quality control standards̀ of the Unione Agricola Genovese (Genoese Agricultural Union) supply chain (within the PDO Regulations and Control Plan);
to study and apply new methods of treating and storing basil, packaging for its transport and shipping, branding for its packaging;
to evaluate the production capacity and the commercial peculiarities of each producer, to optimize the conferment, to increase their competitiveness and improve the remuneration of the product;
to carry out animation and support for the increase of the number of certified producers and production, favouring reorganization processes of the various forms of supply chain;
to carry out information and promotion actions aimed at excellent operators in the restaurant, pizzeria, pastry and ice cream parlour, offering them a product of the highest quality and enabling them to communicate it in turn;
to create new market opportunities, researching customers and monitoring their needs, thus providing the basis for the Commercial Agreements and seasonally adjusting the consumption of the product outside Liguria.