Xylella: 200 olive trees resistant to the bacterium stolen in Salento
Xylella: 200 olive trees resistant to the bacterium stolen in Salento

Video: Xylella: 200 olive trees resistant to the bacterium stolen in Salento

Video: Xylella: 200 olive trees resistant to the bacterium stolen in Salento
Video: Italy’s olive oil industry find ways to save olive trees lost to deadly bacteria 2024, March
Anonim

Coldiretti Lecce revealed that in the Salento (where citrus groves have just been given the green light) have been 200 resistant olive trees stolen at the Xylella. It all happened on a Vernole farm. Unfortunately, this is not the first time such cases have been recorded: due to the Coronavirus emergency, the phenomenon of crime in the countryside has increased.

In the Lecce area, in particular, other cases of theft of newly planted olive trees. Gianni Cantele, president of Coldiretti Lecce, explained that the thefts mainly affect newly planted olive trees Favolosa and Leccino. These are shameful acts that affect, among other things, farmers who are starting to work and produce again now, after the serious environmental and economic disaster caused by the Xylella fastidiosa bacterium.

After years and years of production stoppage caused by both Xylella and bureaucracy, here the farmers are slowly starting to plant the olive trees again. Only, as soon as they are planted, someone comes in the night and steals them immediately.

Now the police are doing all the necessary investigations, but the most likely hypothesis is that the stolen plants end up in the parallel market of plants resistant to Xylella.

The same thing happens, in reality, also in the wine sector: here bands of organized thieves steal cuttings just planted in the area to the north of the Lecce, while in Salice Salentino and Guagnano the heads of the hydrants of the artesian wells disappear. A little everywhere, however, the iron cables are cut from the backs, thus seriously damaging the vineyards.

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