he Fucino Plateau is a fertile flatland, covering an area of about 16,000 hectares or 40,000 acres, in the Abruzzi region, at an altitude of about 2,300 feet above sea level.
Its agricultural history goes back to the late 19th century when Lake Fucino, then Italy’s third largest body of fresh water, was completely drained and its bed reclaimed for farming. This massive engineering project, which had been attempted without success by the ancient Romans, transformed a shallow lake that was flood-prone, mosquito ridden and a source of disease, into prime arable land.
Carrots were first grown there in 1950, and their remarkable profitability led local farmers to include them among crops to be traditionally cultivated in the area. Aside from the economic benefits they provided, the cultivation of carrots made it possible to extend crop rotations, reducing crop diseases and soil exhaustion, which had been serious problems.
Carrot production levels have risen, and the crop is now so successful, that the vegetable has become the Fucino Plateau's main produce. Their quality is well known and demand for them is high in both domestic and foreign markets. The wide appreciation of carrots grown in Fucino, has led to false labeling by producers from other areas, prompting the local community to seek IGP legal protection for its carrot's appellation.
