Agriculture: decree on citrus grove preservation approved

Rome - On July 13, the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies announced that the Italian Chamber of Deputies has approved the decree promoting the restoration, recovery and preservation of characteristic citrus groves. In particular, this measure establishes a fund for the preservation of characteristic citrus groves, which, for 2017, amounts to 3 million euros.

The subsidies will be allocated by the regional administrations, which must prioritize traditional breeding techniques and integrated and organic farming. They will also determine the amount of resources to be allocated for the recovery and restoration operations, the procedures and deadlines for submitting applications, as well as selecting projects and creating rankings. Characteristic citrus groves are those featuring varieties grown in areas of great landscape, historical and environmental value, suitable for growing citrus fruit species, where the weather and environmental conditions give products their specific features.

The citrus grove areas considered of interest for their historical and landscape value and in terms of rural land preservation are mainly located along the Ionian coast of Sicily, the Ionian and Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria, in the Sorrento Peninsula, on the Amalfi Coast and on the islands of the Gulf of Naples, in the Gargano region and around Lake Garda.