The Casalasco del Pomodoro Consortium is strengthening its commitment to the basil supply chain, launched just over a year ago, and is focusing on combating downy mildew. The topic was addressed during a roundtable discussion organized at the Casalasco Innovation Center in Fontanellato, involving researchers, technicians, and agricultural businesses.
Downy mildew represents a major problem for crops, especially in a climate marked by high temperatures, irregular rainfall, and increasingly unpredictable weather conditions. The ability to intervene quickly is therefore crucial to safeguarding yields, quality, and continuity of supply to the industry.
The meeting explored the agronomic solutions currently available, the role of monitoring, and the importance of transferring knowledge to producers. Representatives of CERSAA of Albenga, the Emilia-Romagna Phytosanitary Service, the Consortium of Genoese Basil DOP, and Open Fields participated.
The project builds on the model already developed by Casalasco in the tomato supply chain: crop planning, technical assistance, and industrial processing are managed in a coordinated manner, allowing for quicker identification of critical issues and provision of operational guidance to farmers.
Faced with the spread of downy mildew, the Consortium has strengthened crop monitoring and technical support, working to identify the most suitable strategies to protect production potential and preserve the characteristics of basil intended for processing.
Despite the unfavorable weather conditions experienced in recent weeks, the campaign is proceeding with positive results. The goal for the season is to process approximately 5 tons of product, consolidating a supply chain that expands the group's agricultural and industrial footprint.
"Ours is a complete supply chain, including basil," said Davide Rocca, director of the Casalasco Consortium. Proper management of downy mildew, he explained, is essential not only to achieve adequate yields, but also to ensure aromatic profile and color.
Casalasco now intends to establish a permanent discussion group with the various stakeholders in the supply chain. The discussion will extend to prevention, varietal selection, and agronomic practices that can make the crop more sustainable and resilient.
For President Marco Sartori, the strength of the cooperative model lies precisely in its ability to intervene at the most critical moments. An integrated supply chain allows for timely identification of problems and the provision of more effective technical tools to producers to protect their harvests.
