For over twenty years there has been discussion about phytosanitary prescription as a turning point for Italian agriculture that can no longer be postponed. A system that, through the technical and traceable prescription of agrochemicals and fertilizers, promises a more conscious and sustainable use of the products employed in the field. But in the olive sector, this perspective takes on an even deeper meaning: not just innovation, but also a guarantee of quality, environmental protection, and valorization of technical work.
The bill n. 1942, presented in 2024 by the Hon. Nino Minardo, aims to introduce the requirement for an electronic prescription for all phytosanitary interventions, entrusting its drafting to qualified professionals – agronomists, agricultural experts and agricultural technicians. A step that it could radically change the way olive tree defense is managed, especially at a time in history when phytosanitary challenges are becoming increasingly complex.
Olive fruit fly, leprosy, and peacock eye: these are just some of the diseases that annually challenge the health of Italian olive groves, risking compromising yields and quality. The response, too often, relies on standardized treatments, sometimes excessive, sometimes ineffective. Prescription, on the other hand, requires a technical approach, based on agronomic analyses and professional responsibilityEvery intervention would be justified, recorded, and tracked. This would be beneficial not only for the health of the environment and consumers, but also for the quality of the oil, which is increasingly under scrutiny on international markets.
It's not about bureaucracy, as some fear. It's about rationalization.In a sector where economic margins are often slim, avoiding waste and unnecessary treatments also means saving money. And enhancing the role of the technician, too often relegated to simply filling out the field notebook, means restoring dignity and expertise to those who truly know the territory.
Comparison with the veterinary sector, where electronic prescriptions are already a reality, shows that the system can work. Traceability, safety, and responsibility: these are key words that olive growing can no longer ignore. This is also because the European Union, through the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy, is forcefully calling for a reduction in the use of chemicals and greater transparency in the use of technical resources.
There is no shortage of resistance. There are those who fear a bureaucratic burden for farmers, those who defend free sales, those who denounce the lack of a shared regulatory direction.But time is running out. Italy cannot afford to fall behind, especially in a sector like olive oil, which represents not only agro-food excellence but also a cultural and landscape asset.
The Minardo proposal can be improved, of course, but it is a starting point, an opportunity to transform words into rules, intentions into tools, promises into reality.
