Abstract

Italy is the first country in Europe by number of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) and TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed): these quality agricultural products at the end of 2014 are 268, 22% of the total of these products in Europe. In addition, Italy is also the first country in the world for value of exports for biological products (1.2 billion euro). The perception of the strategic importance of quality production for our municipalities emerges from the analysis of data on the number of municipalities involved. The municipalities hosting farms that grow PDO and/or PGI products are 4,868, 60.4% of the total of Italian municipalities, while municipalities with organic farms based on their territory are 4,992, 61.7% of the total. The certified products and organic production represent an important opportunity for national food, both in domestic consumption and on world markets, because they diversify agricultural production and meet the specific requirements of quality, food safety and healthy eating.