At a time when thousands of farmers are in the streets trying to defend their business, the Joined Llauradora and Ramadera denounces the treatment by the IGP Jijona y Turrón de Alicante. And since this nougat PGI a change was made in the specifications to use imported almonds.
Based on the information we receive from the agricultural union, the IGP Jijona y Turrón de Alicante refuses to pay them a price that covers the costs. All of this is an example of Spain's weak Food Chain Law. Although on a theoretical level it appears to be a good law, it has no consequences in practice and very seriously affects the primary sector. Of course, in this case, it also affects the quality and tradition of the product and our gastronomy.
Turrón de Jijona and Turrón de Alicante change the conditions of their PGI
To be able to use these almonds imported from the PGI Jijona and Turrón de Alicante motivated these changes in the specifications. These have been accepted by the European Union. In this way, with the previous conditions, the almond had to be from the area and of certain and local varieties. Now in the current specifications it only indicates that they must be made with healthy almonds. Unlike the Protected Designations of Origin (DOP), which requires that production and processing be in the area determined in the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). It is only forced to do one of the productive processes.
In this case, even if the almonds come from the United States or anywhere in the world, Turrón de Alicante can be produced if they are made in the area and are protected by the PGI.
The union Unió Llauradora i Ramadera indicates that the large nougat producers had no desire to reach an agreement. The most obvious proof, according to the union, is that they prefer imported almonds over native ones. A report that the technical services have just prepared, with official data, corroborates the above. In this way it is revealed that the Valencian Community imported from other countries. Specifically, in 2023 a total of 72,13 million kilograms of shelled almonds. These data represent the third year with a higher imported volume and an increase of 225% over 2022.
