Leonardo Capitanio, ANVE vice president and well-known Apulian entrepreneur, has spelled out the emergency in which the Xylella bacterium has damaged olive trees and other ornamental species like Nerium, Prunus, and Vinca ... in Apulia. "The situation is under control. We are implementing European Commission guidelines. Our plants are healthy."
"The fact is,” ANVE vice president Leonardo Capitanio cautions, “that Apulian agriculture has been severely damaged, as evidenced by the numerous olive trees and other plants affected by a rapid overall desiccation. … The bacterium has also affected several other ornamental species such as Nerium, Prunus, and Vinca.... However, there is no need to be an alarmist by banning importing these species by the Apulia Region, or even worse, by all of Italy, since strict preventative and monitoring measures of the troublesome bacterium have permitted localizing it to a very narrow range in the province of Lecce.
We agree with Regional Councillor Fabrizio Nardoni‘s statement that “the Xylella emergency requires team effort. However, in order to create a united front, it is essential that the work and effort being carried out by the Region and especially through the Regional Plant Protection Centre not be hindered. The Region has initiated intensive discussions with the European Commission, to permit Apulian nurseries to continue their work." This has been demonstrated by the European Commission’s decision of 23 July 2014 regarding measures to prevent the introduction and spread of Xylella fastidiosa in the European Union. A meeting of the National Plant Protection Committee took place at Ministry of Agricolture (MIPAAF) headquarters. Also in attendance were members of the Technical and Scientific Committee, established by Minister Martina to support the National Plant Protection Service and composed of leading national and international experts in the field. The meeting examined obligations arising from the European Commission’s decision of 23 July, which asked that the "infected zones" as well as the surrounding areas designated as "buffer zones" be identified. In this regard, the Committee noted that, according to the latest surveys, the Apulia Region has indicated that:
a) a large part of the Province of Lecce is an "infected area";
b) with regard to the buffer zone, the Region has proposed a protection zone running from the Ionian to the Adriatic Seas with a safe area 2 km deep and the infected area 1 km deep.
In those areas thus identified, adequate plant protection measures, as identified by the Committee, will be carried out that will be the subject of a mandatory control decree to be submitted to the State-Regions Conference for the anticipated opinion.
The following action plan is to be implemented:
a) start the immediate "blanket" monitoring of the northern edge of the infected zone (analyzing all plants exhibiting symptoms of the infection) to accurately define its boundaries and the limits of the resulting buffer zone (2 km + 1) by next 24 October;
b) intercede in the entire buffer zone (10,000 hectares + 5,000 hectares), through a close and constant monitoring program, authorized pesticide treatments and agronomic measures against insect vectors, the removal of herbaceous and non-productive (oleander, vinca, acacia, etc.) host plants, and the eventual extirpation of infected plants;
c) toughen controls regarding the possible presence of infection in nurseries within the infected zone and tightly control the handling of products identified as being "at risk", in accordance with the European decision;
d) establish a control plan in collaboration with the State Forestry Corps and the Central Inspectorate to safeguard quality and prevent fraud, particularly with regard to the handling of material "at risk".
e) expand the targeted survey program to the entire country;
f) set up an appropriate information and communication campaign.
Lastly, it was decided to establish a new comparison phase with the European Commission in order to integrate plant protection measures within the framework of the above-mentioned 23 July decision and then to update, and set specifically in motion the national action plan previously submitted to the EU Commission.
If sensibly implemented and controlled, these well-defined rules will protect against the bacterium spreading. Moreover, research to identify other useful remedies must be a common objective to be pursued regardless of the category: food farming, floriculture, horticultural, research and study institutes, and any association or district.
A further sounding of the alarm merely risks adding to the already devastating economic crisis that is gripping much of the agriculture sector. "
A.N.V.E is the only Italian association of nurseries working at a national and international level.
Conscious of the strategic importance of exporting, ANVE caters not only to the nursery exporters, but works to protect the interests of all Italian nurseries.
ANVE offers services that support and safeguard nurseries. It is an effective tool that acts on behalf of Italian nursery companies through discussions with domestic and foreign institutions. The association was formed at the behest of industry representatives who were interested in having access to more specific information focused on their business and taking part in industry-specific consultation forums in both Italy and Europe, as well as beyond the EU’s borders.
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