Confagricoltura: “extend the authorizations expiry date for planting vineyards”

Two of the most persistent thoughts in the minds of Italian wine producers in this period are restarting the market, which is fundamental, and aid for the enormous damage recent frosts have caused to Italian vineyards, which is essential. The producers are still fighting a pandemic from which Europe is having a hard time getting out, while it is now almost a memory in most of Asia, and is being overcome, thanks to vaccines, in the USA. In perspective, there is another important issue; that is, managing viticulture potential, which calls into question the issue of authorizations for planting new vineyards and replanting old ones. This obviously requires investments and liquidity, which, after a year of pandemic, is yet another critical issue for wineries. Therefore, it is also the reason that the farmers’ confederation, Confagricoltura has asked the Minister of Agriculture, Stefano Patuanelli, to extend the expiry date of the authorizations.
“We would like to thank Minister Patuanelli for having officially, through the request for extraordinary Union interventions, brought to the attention of the European institutions the seriousness of the damage caused by recent night frosts, especially to the vineyards and fruit and vegetable production”, said Massimiliano Giansanti, president of Confagricoltura, regarding yesterday’s initiative during the European Union Ministers of Agriculture videoconference.
“The Commission”, noted Confagricoltura, “has accepted to assess the situation, in view of taking specific measures in favor of the most affected Member States. One of the requests we have already submitted to Minister Patuanelli”, pointed out Giansanti, “is extending the validity of the authorizations for planting and replanting vineyard areas, expiring this year. The request is totally justified by the fact that the frosts have hit a sector already struggling in a difficult market situation caused by the pandemic, which has imposed repeated closures of the on-trade channel in the European Union as well as Internationally. In this context”, added the president of Confagricoltura, “the financial situation of the companies will not allow them to provide the necessary investments for planting and replanting the vineyards. The extension is indispensable and abundantly justified”.
So, this is yet another extremely practical aspect that the wine entrepreneurial fabric is facing and has to manage in an unprecedented scenario, which is unfortunately taking longer than expected. It is the same story also in other sectors of agriculture. In the fruit and vegetable sector, for example, “Confagricoltura supported the request of COPA-COGECA, which unites the agricultural and cooperation organizations of the Member States, to extend the flexibility measures, launched last year, to help the actions of producer associations be more efficient. In the immediate future”, concluded Giansanti”, our commitment is aimed at giving necessary and rapid support to farmers affected by the frosts. We have also started to reflect on a new system for the prevention and management of natural disasters, which would be capable of guaranteeing innovative and more effective solutions for farmers in the face of climate change”.