Agri Kwalità – Cultivating Sustainable Futures Together, is a new campaign launched by the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Rights.

It was explained that the aim of this new campaign is the promotion and establishment of schemes which seek to incentivise sustainable production, higher quality products, fair trading practices as well as improved income and competitivity for farmers.

The campaign will therefore focus on the three existing schemes administered by the Agriculture Directorate – which are the Products of Quality National Scheme, Organic Farming and Wine Certification (DOK Malta, DOK Gozo and IGT Maltese Islands).

Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo explained that over the last few years the Ministry had “worked tirelessly to implement and enforce laws that recognise, promote and value high quality agricultural products.”

He added, “through this campaign, all quality promotion schemes will be brought together, so that the message is holistic and direct. As a Ministry, we must push the sector towards quality agriculture.”

The Products of Quality National Scheme is a voluntary scheme recognised by the European Commission with the aim of increasing the value of agricultural products according to an agreed standard and specifications that characterise the superior quality of a given product.

This quality mark, which will be placed on products that reach this level, will be a guarantee that the product being purchased not only meets European minimum standards, but also contains certain qualities that go beyond these minimum criteria set out in law.

Organic Farming is a scheme administered by the Directorate of Agriculture which is operated at the level of the European community and recognised worldwide. It is a measure that includes a system of traceability and control over the way the product is grown.

The certification of wines, Dok Malta, D.O.K Gozo and I.G.T Maltese Islands – in Malta and Gozo there are about 430 hectares of vineyards, most of which are for wine production. About 19 grape growers and 11 winemakers, all of whom are registered with the Directorate of Agriculture, produce almost 2 million bottles of quality wines. These three names are registered and protected both locally and with the European Union.

Over the coming weeks and months Agri Kwalità said that it will be sharing more information about the currently active schemes and the benefits of each, both for consumers and producers.

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