From Lithuania on a visit to El Tamiso
28.02.12
One of the pioneers of organic agriculture in Italy (it was founded in 1984), the cooperative El Tamiso has already been dedicated a degree thesis way back in 1989 to Ca' Foscari.
And although its export activities are limited (the cooperative focuses on the local market, which controls the retail markets of Padua, Abano, Este, Venice and Mestre, on stores with farmers associated with Saonara and Bagnoli, on short supply chain relationships with purchasing groups and with the supply to specialized stores in the region), its notoriety goes beyond national borders.
A few days ago did you host a delegation of thirty organic farmers from faraway Lithuania, led by Laima Kamaitien, president of Kaimo Bendruomen? (rural community) of the Tramai district.
The first former Soviet country to declare its independence (1991), in Lithuania the weight of agriculture is considerable: 14% of the inhabitants are employed in the agricultural sector, which is worth about 4.5% of GDP, well above the European average of 2%.
Even in the Baltic Republic, thanks to environmental considerations and concerns about food safety, consumer interest in organic products is growing. The government has indicated the objective of converting a 5% share of the country's agricultural land to organic (essentially achieved: with 129,000 hectares cultivated by 2,650 farmers, the weight of the sector in Lithuania has reached 4.87%).
For farmers' organizations, it is now necessary to study the most advanced European experiences, especially in the organization of production and distribution chains, in order to make the most of the fruit of their work on the market.
The meeting had a significant first evening, Monday, February 20, at the brand new Osteria di Fuori Porta, in Via Tiziano Aspetti, based on a typical Venetian menu, with all the strictly organic ingredients, supplied by the El Tamiso Cooperative and excellently prepared by the people of the “the twelve months” labor cooperative, manager of the tavern.
On Wednesday 22nd everyone awake at 6.30 to visit the fruit and vegetable market (MAAP) and in particular at the parking lots of the El Tamiso Cooperative, then a field visit at the Severino Bozzolan organic farm, in Legnaro, and finally a meeting on organic Veneto agriculture, also in Legnaro.
The delegation also includes the journalist Vanda Vasiliauskaite of the national agricultural newspaper Ukininko Patarejas (whose three-weekly frequency testifies to the importance of agriculture in the Lithuanian economy).
Not only that: the singer Daina Bileviciute (the most popular in Lithuania, she also represented the country in the last edition of the Eurovision singing competition) will also accompany the group.
Franco Zecchinato, one of the founders and current president of the cooperative, comments: “We are very pleased to have been chosen by the Lithuanian producers' organization as a study experience. In almost thirty years of existence, El Tamiso has based its success on building a new relationship with consumers, on transparency and product quality: this is the indication that we will provide. But let's keep in mind that these moments of discussion and exchange of experiences with fellow organic producers from other countries constitute moments of enrichment that will also be useful to us.”
And although its export activities are limited (the cooperative focuses on the local market, which controls the retail markets of Padua, Abano, Este, Venice and Mestre, on stores with farmers associated with Saonara and Bagnoli, on short supply chain relationships with purchasing groups and with the supply to specialized stores in the region), its notoriety goes beyond national borders.
A few days ago did you host a delegation of thirty organic farmers from faraway Lithuania, led by Laima Kamaitien, president of Kaimo Bendruomen? (rural community) of the Tramai district.
The first former Soviet country to declare its independence (1991), in Lithuania the weight of agriculture is considerable: 14% of the inhabitants are employed in the agricultural sector, which is worth about 4.5% of GDP, well above the European average of 2%.
Even in the Baltic Republic, thanks to environmental considerations and concerns about food safety, consumer interest in organic products is growing. The government has indicated the objective of converting a 5% share of the country's agricultural land to organic (essentially achieved: with 129,000 hectares cultivated by 2,650 farmers, the weight of the sector in Lithuania has reached 4.87%).
For farmers' organizations, it is now necessary to study the most advanced European experiences, especially in the organization of production and distribution chains, in order to make the most of the fruit of their work on the market.
The meeting had a significant first evening, Monday, February 20, at the brand new Osteria di Fuori Porta, in Via Tiziano Aspetti, based on a typical Venetian menu, with all the strictly organic ingredients, supplied by the El Tamiso Cooperative and excellently prepared by the people of the “the twelve months” labor cooperative, manager of the tavern.
On Wednesday 22nd everyone awake at 6.30 to visit the fruit and vegetable market (MAAP) and in particular at the parking lots of the El Tamiso Cooperative, then a field visit at the Severino Bozzolan organic farm, in Legnaro, and finally a meeting on organic Veneto agriculture, also in Legnaro.
The delegation also includes the journalist Vanda Vasiliauskaite of the national agricultural newspaper Ukininko Patarejas (whose three-weekly frequency testifies to the importance of agriculture in the Lithuanian economy).
Not only that: the singer Daina Bileviciute (the most popular in Lithuania, she also represented the country in the last edition of the Eurovision singing competition) will also accompany the group.
Franco Zecchinato, one of the founders and current president of the cooperative, comments: “We are very pleased to have been chosen by the Lithuanian producers' organization as a study experience. In almost thirty years of existence, El Tamiso has based its success on building a new relationship with consumers, on transparency and product quality: this is the indication that we will provide. But let's keep in mind that these moments of discussion and exchange of experiences with fellow organic producers from other countries constitute moments of enrichment that will also be useful to us.”
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