FEDERVINI: ITALIAN WINE IS NUMBER ONE THANKS TO EXPORTS; IT IS FIRST ON THE “FOOD EXPORTS” LIST AND RANKS THIRD OVER ALL EXPORTED ITEMS. REVENUE WAS 10 BILLION EUROS IN 2010 - HALF (4.6 BILLION EUROS) COMES FROM ABROAD

Italian wine wins thanks to exports, is the first item on the “food exports” list and third in all categories of National exports, confirming it is the backbone of Italian economy. The wine industry reached a value of 10 billion euros in 2010, and a total production of 54 million hectoliters of which 24.84 hectoliters are destined abroad, for a total value of 4.6 billion euros.

The “re-elected” President of Federvini, Italian federation of wine industries (an organization of Confindustria, Italian employers federation) Lamberto Vallarino Gancia confirmed that the Italian wine sector is healthy, in his report at the Federvini conference, held today in Rome. It is the surge in exports, according to Federvini, that has compensated for the decrease in domestic demand, victim of law enforcement and prevention that have largely contributed to the trend of decreasing domestic consumption.

In purely numerical terms, wine is the first item on the “food exports” list and third among all Italian exports. The trend is also confirmed by data concerning the early months of 2011, driven both by the economic recovery of Italy’s historic partner countries like Germany, which has been confirmed leader of foreign consumers having imported 6.91 million hectoliters in 2010, as well as the opening of new sales channels in emerging countries like Russia, which registered a + 64.1% increase compared to 2009 in volume on imports from Italy. This success, according to Federvini, despite the difficulties in finding a common language, is mostly due to more efficient promotional activities abroad, where sales are often up against an obstacle course among duties, testing, licensing and laws that seem to go against markets attracted to Made in Italy products. That’s why Federvini called for more determination towards the EU and towards the governments of the countries concerned and to be aware of the importance of a sector which has paid the Treasury department 557 million euros for excise taxes and 1 billion euros for Vat.

“Federvini’s commitment,” said the President Lamberto Vallarino Gancia, “is to communicate greater awareness of political and administrative measures on some provisions, which are an important element for the performance and future development of the sector. One example is the excise directive - if the changes had been approved it would have caused irreparable damage. The introduction of new methods of product classification in order to apply the excise duties on wines, spirits, beer and intermediate products, would effectively serve as a further disincentive for consumption”. Stressing the importance of the sector as “an engine of Italian exports”, the President of Federvini notes, “there were many obstacles, especially technical (duties, testing, licensing) on the markets that show interest in Italian products”. Federvini, member of Confindustria, calls for “greater determination towards the EU, so that their voice is stronger and towards the governments of countries with which Italy maintains a direct financial relationship”. Federvini is calling for deeper reflection also on issues like controls. “We need,” Lamberto Vallarino Gancia concludes, “to be careful and fight those controls that actually end up being useless frills and additional charges that do not bring any practical benefits”.



The Editorial - The message from Federvini to WineNews: wine, an Italian value

The tone is quiet, but serious, respectful and authoritative, as befits an historical organization like Federvini of Confindustria, with a clear projection to the business. They have launched a clear signal, which needs to be number one on the agenda throughout the wine world: this “world” must preserve, or rather, develop a relationship with the institutions (from Government to civil society, from Parliament to the Municipalities), to promote Mediterranean-style consumption (including wine-food pairing, territories, lifestyle, quality of life, well-being...).

This ”world” must not only be active in promoting responsible consumption patterns, the only ones able to fight the risks and dangers of certain trends that are emerging among young people where the enforcement policies so far implemented tend to penalize only the aware and responsible range of consumers. Or maybe what is happening in Italy is the sign of the times: no longer able to understand the true potential of our country, a policy is put into effect that is sometimes distracted by issues not relevant to the everyday life of businesses and individuals. The beauty of the territories and the values they express, and wine is one of them, are vital components of wine in Italy. The twist: winning abroad with Made in Italy products because of their true and most intimate features, and then losing at home saying that wine is just alcohol, forgetting centuries of history.

P.S. - Do not forget: the risk is that if the wine economy goes up in smoke (10 billion euros plus), it will take with it the healthy habit that wine is one of life’s pleasures, which no one wants to give up. And there is also the risk that insult is added to injury: there has been a progressive reduction in the levels of alcohol consumption over the years, due to some inefficient preventive and enforced laws that have contributed to increasing the general downward consumption trend.