Tomatoes from sunny Italy

Italian Philately Highlights the Pachino Tomato Once More (The article is a translation of Carlos Dalmiro Silva Soares' article published in  Portal do Filatelista Temático )

 

Italian philately has once again highlighted the tomato, this time focusing on the famous Pachino variety. This fruit has been featured in several Poste Italiane issues over the years, including:

The €0.60 stamp issued on August 29, 2008, for the "Amatriciana Spaghetti Festival," 

The €0.95 stamp released on March 22, 2017, centered around the Gennaro Auricchio company, 

A €0.25 stamp launched on November 20, 2021, as part of a series dedicated to protected designation products, and 

The "B" class stamp, issued on July 29, 2023, which references the Italian Academy of Cuisine."

 

The New €1.25 "Pomodoro di Pachino" Stamp: Celebrating Sicilian Excellence

The stamp we are reviewing belongs to class “B” (€1.25) and was launched on September 6. This issue is dedicated to the “Pomodoro di Pachino,” a geographically protected designation for tomatoes from the southeastern coast of Sicily, which has held EU PGI status (Protected Geographical Indication) since 2003. Interestingly, it is a variety originally developed in Israel by the multinational HaZera Genetics and introduced to Italy in 1989.

This stamp is part of the series “Excellences of the Productive and Economic System,” and it features a branch of sun-ripened tomatoes from Sicily. Notably, it shows a freshly opened blossom feeding a bee, emphasizing the natural environment. The design also includes the consortium's logo and the “Indicazione geografica protetta” (IGP) quality seal from the EU.

First Day Cover

The design was created by the advertising agency Tam Tam Advertising, with 250,020 self-adhesive copies produced in sheets of 45 units.

 

The "Accademia Italiana della Cucina" is an Italian cultural association founded on July 29, 1953, by Orio Vergani in Milan, alongside prominent figures from culture, industry, and journalism. Its mission is to protect the country's culinary traditions and promote their refinement both in Italy and abroad through various initiatives, studies, and publicity efforts, including a research center, editorial activities, tastings, and more. With central bodies, territorial delegations, and representations, it has 226 presences in Italy and 94 abroad, totaling over 7,500 members.

 

(Commemorative Postmark) 

In 2023, this institution celebrates 70 years of existence. The postage stamp, issued on July 29 by Poste Italiane to mark this anniversary, is valued at €1.25, aligning with the "B" rate, which covers the domestic cost of sending a postcard or a standard letter weighing up to twenty grams. Part of the "Italian Artistic and Cultural Heritage" series, the issue was printed with a run of 250,220 self-adhesive copies, arranged in sheets of forty-five stamps. The vignette features grains and two tomatoes on a plate, alongside the name and logo of the institution.