Sicilian salt pans pursue UNESCO status and agricultural recognition

The salt pans of the Sicilian coast, stretching from Trapani to Marsala, are advancing toward two significant recognitions. First, the candidacy for the Sicilian salt pans to become a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve has received approval from the Italian Ministry of the Environment and is moving toward international evaluation in Paris.

In a move to support local producers, efforts are underway to officially recognize sea salt as an agricultural product. This classification would allow salt producers to access specific agri-food funding and measures, such as those designated for the transformation of agricultural products.

Regarding the UNESCO bid, a recent compromise has excluded port and industrial areas from the proposed boundaries. This decision, welcomed by port operators like Assiterminal, aims to reconcile industrial interests with environmental preservation, with the hope that increased international recognition will boost local tourism and the cruise industry.