Modica Igp chocolate, more powers to the Consortium aiming at local cocoa

Some fifteen companies, an annual production of almost 330,000 kilos, a total turnover of 11 million and about eighty employees. These are the figures, some of them, of Modica chocolate, already included in the list of products with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), which has now taken a further step forward with the recognition by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Consortium for the Protection of Modica Chocolate: 'The reputation of Modica PGI chocolate on the national and international market is strengthened and an even more effective protection of its production chain is guaranteed, contributing to enhancing the territory and supporting small local businesses,' explain the ministry.

And so it is a further step for a sector that, in the town in the province of Ragusa, is destined to be increasingly leading: today, almost five million bars are produced (there were 400,000 in 2015). In the meantime, the valorisation of what was the first IGP chocolate in Europe is being strengthened, especially on the front of the fight against counterfeiting: 'Particularly in online sales: the misuse of the name in processed products is significant,' says Consortium director Nino Scivoletto. 'Modica chocolate is in fact used in leavened products, ice cream in creams and so on. From now on it will be the Consortium that will issue the authorisations and supervise the correct use of the denomination'.

On 16 December, in Rome, the digital passport for Modica chocolate realised by the partnership between Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, CSQA Certificazioni and Fondazione Qualivita joined by the Consorzio di tutela will be presented: it includes a customised mark with graphics evoking the specificity of the product and realised with security elements reminiscent of banknote printing.

But the development programme is even more ambitious and the consortium intends to play a key role: to create a local supply chain with cocoa processed in Modica. And to achieve this, two fronts are open. One is with Indonesia, whose work site was opened a couple of years ago with a cooperation agreement: 'Our idea,' says Scivoletto, 'is to make the Indonesian district of Berau the first IGP district in the world and Indonesia has already started a process to recognise the first cocoa with a protected geographical indication. The other front is the one with the Ivory Coast: in recent months a delegation from the African country arrived in Ragusa on the initiative of the local section of Sicindustria led by Giorgio Cappello. The project put in place is called 'Pasta Amara Modica' and was developed by the director of the Consortium and cocoa and chocolate expert Davide Guarnaccia, and envisages the production of bitter cocoa paste in a plant located in the Modica area. "The importation of cocoa beans from the Ivory Coast, thanks to the logistics of the Port of Pozzallo," explains Giorgio Cappello, "could feed the processing activity on site to produce the bitter cocoa paste, the basis for the production of Modica chocolate in compliance with the strict provisions of the specifications. The Ragusa entrepreneurs cashed in on the willingness of Diakitè Siaka, president of the Association of Cocoa Processors, who relaunched by proposing the establishment of a joint venture between Hyblean entrepreneurs and Ivorian producers.