Cosimo Messina (in the photo), national adviser for AssoImballaggi's Gruppo Imballaggi Ortofrutticoli, explains that new wooden crates with the "Everything will be alright" logo will be introduced for producers.
"Ruatta Imballaggi, one of our associates from Piedmont, came up with the idea and it was welcomed by colleagues all over Italy. Also thanks to FederlegnoArredo, our segment was identified as an essential activity, which gave us even more strength to tackle a difficult moment such as this one."
"At times like these, there is the need to promote local produce and therefore our domestic economy. It must be pointed out that single-use wooden crates are the expression of made in Italy products."
All phases of the entire chain - from poplar cultivation to waste disposal - take place in Italy. "Despite the delicate period which is slowing down wooden crate production by over 50%, our businesses are keeping up production so consumers can continue receiving fresh high-quality fruit and vegetables."
"In such a difficult moment, it can be very important to promote the Italian produce even more. Wooden crates are essential to transport traditional and organic produce preserving its freshness and high quality. Wood is in fact a natural humidity regulator and lets the produce breathe helping its preservation without the need for additional chemical preservatives."
In addition, using wooden crates also means safeguarding the ecosystem as little water and energy are needed for production and because wood holds the carbon dioxide partly responsible for the greenhouse effect, which is therefore not released in the atmosphere. Poplar has a considerable capability of purifying air, a typical characteristic of fast-growing plants.
Unlike uncontrolled deforestation, poplar cultivation is controlled and does not harm the ecosystem actually safeguarding biodiversity and countering the risk of "genetic erosion".
"This way, the wood segment helps mitigate climate change. We need to spread the knowledge that it is possible to respect, preserve, safeguard and improve the environment and territory also by reflecting on the value of wood."