A pact to relaunch Sardinian wheat. The goal is to obtain the PGI mark for Carasau bread.
On the island, a 70% reduction in cultivated areas has occurred since 2008. But yields are increasing and now a new agreement has been reached between producers, industry and institutions to enhance the supply chain.The assembly in Nuraminis (Coldiretti)
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"Carasau bread could become one of the symbols of the rebirth of Sardinian durum wheat."
This is the challenge launched today by Nuraminis , where a large representation of the supply chain gathered in the hall of the Ex Monte Granatico for a discussion promoted by Coldiretti Sardegna which brought together producers, cereal growers, the processing world, industry, research and institutions around the same table.
A discussion that concluded with the signing of the "Nuraminis Pact" for a Sardinian supply chain for durum wheat , carasau bread, and pistoccu: a shared commitment to build an entirely Sardinian supply chain, enhance the value of the raw material, and provide greater remuneration to farmers.
"Today's document is much more than a document," emphasizes Battista Cualbu , president of Coldiretti Sardinia. "It is an assumption of responsibility by the entire supply chain. Sardinian durum wheat has quality, capable farmers, and an important production history, but for too long we have witnessed the reduction of acreage and the loss of value of grain cultivation. Today, we are bringing all the key players together and clearly stating that the future can come from building a Sardinian supply chain, capable of using our wheat for one of Sardinia's most distinctive products. Carasau can become one of the driving forces behind the rebirth of Sardinian durum wheat."
"We have a raw material that can meet the supply chain's needs and that has significant quality characteristics," emphasizes Luca Saba, director of Coldiretti Sardinia. "But quality alone isn't enough if we can't transform it into economic value. This requires a supply chain that involves everyone: farmers, millers, processors, and bakers. We can't imagine a Sardinian supply chain if the wheat produced by Sardinian farmers is replaced along the way. We must build a system in which the value remains local and in which those who grow wheat can receive adequate remuneration."
The meeting was attended by the leaders of Coldiretti Sardinia, researcher Marco Dettori, Antonio Farris, president of the Sardinian Academy of Mother Yeast Cultural Association, Alberto Cellino, president of Confindustria Sardinia, and Francesco Agus, Councilor for Agriculture of the Sardinia Region.
A large representation of entrepreneurs and companies in the supply chain, trade associations, representatives of regional agencies, numerous local mayors and representatives of regional institutions, along with many industry professionals, were present in the Ex Monte Granatico hall. This broad participation gave the discussion a strong territorial and institutional dimension and confirmed the need to provide a new perspective on Sardinian cereal growing.
A shared understanding emerged that the quality of Sardinian durum wheat remains a heritage to be protected and enhanced, despite the drastic reduction in cultivated areas. In 2008 , just over 78,000 hectares of durum wheat were cultivated in Sardinia, while in 2026, the area had fallen to approximately 23,600 hectares, a decline of almost 70%. Over the same period, yields increased by 25.7%.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that durum wheat produced in Sardinia has significant quality characteristics, including protein content and, in particular, gluten. This quality represents a strategic resource for the island's agriculture and agri-food sector, and can find particularly valuable outlets in carasau bread and pistoccu.
This is the heart of the Pact signed in Nuraminis: valorizing Sardinian wheat along the entire supply chain, from the field to the finished product, strengthening the connection between raw materials, processing, and the local area . Carasau bread can capture a much larger share of the durum wheat produced on the island and thus become a concrete tool for increasing the value recognized for the raw material and its farmers.
"For this to happen, however, the supply chain must be cohesive," Coldiretti emphasizes. "Sardinian wheat must be used throughout all stages, from the mills to the bakers, all the way to the consumer. And consumers themselves must be engaged through an information campaign on the value of a truly Sardinian supply chain."
This process also involves the challenge of protecting and recognizing carasau bread, through a brand or denomination capable of strengthening its connection to Sardinia. Coldiretti looks favorably, in the long run, to a powerful tool like the PDO, but whatever path is chosen—including the PGI option currently at the center of the Promotion Committee's work—one essential condition must be met: the exclusive use of durum wheat produced in Sardinia.
This is precisely the request contained in the Nuraminis Pact to the Committee promoting the establishment of the PGI for carasau bread and pistoccu: to include in the future regulations the exclusive use of Sardinian durum wheat .
The Nuraminis Pact is therefore the first step in a journey that brings together producers, industry, processing, research, and institutions with a common goal: transforming the quality of Sardinian wheat into value, income, and a future. Now the challenge is to transform that commitment into a concrete, recognizable, and entirely Sardinian supply chain, making Carasau bread one of the great ambassadors of the quality of the island's durum wheat.
(Unioneonline/lf)