Production dynamics, consumption trends in Italy and Mediterranean countries, and varietal innovation will be the central themes of the first Mantuan PGI Melon Symposium, which will take place from July 22 to 24 in the Mantua region.
The event, organized by the Consortium for the Promotion and Protection in collaboration with five seed companies — Bayer, BASF, Clause, Syngenta, and Rijk Zwaan — will turn Mantua and its surroundings into an open-air laboratory for the entire production chain, with guided visits to trial fields, technical meetings, and knowledge-sharing spaces.
This Symposium aims to strengthen dialogue among producers, distributors, and communicators, highlighting the value of a product whose roots date back to the Renaissance era of the Gonzaga family, when it was considered a prized gift for the nobility of the court, but which now moves boldly into the future.
Mantuan PGI Melon Consortium is launching the new season with a first-of-its-kind event: three days designed to foster exchange across the entire value chain, through scientific analyses, field visits, and professional networking opportunities.
The heart of the event will be the conference on July 23, starting at 5:00 p.m. in the prestigious Ducal Palace of Mantua. The session will explore new production dynamics, mainly shaped by the challenges of climate change, as well as evolving consumer habits in Italy and the Mediterranean region.
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“Despite recent weather conditions — characterized by rainfall and below-average seasonal temperatures — the Mantuan PGI Melon campaign has officially begun. We are confident that with the arrival of summer heat, our product will reach its usual volume standards. The first Mantuan PGI Melon Symposium will be a unique opportunity to gather the entire value chain, discuss the sector’s challenges and future opportunities, and give a concrete boost to the region,” stated Mauro Aguzzi, president of the Consortium.
“The Symposium will be held at a strategic point in the commercial season, when the most significant harvest volumes are concentrated, and the climate allows our melons — and the experimental varieties — to reach their full quality potential. We are convinced that through dialogue and the exchange of experiences, we can consolidate the success achieved in recent seasons and together define the guidelines to face future challenges with determination.”
Today, as in the past, the Mantuan PGI Melon represents the richness of a unique territory, where agricultural tradition, certified quality, and research intersect in a virtuous process. The Symposium was created to give voice to this unique identity and strengthen the dialogue among those who, day by day, promote and enhance an Italian excellence that is already recognized and admired — with the ambition of taking its reputation far beyond local borders.
