Export crisis, the world of wine and the institutions are focusing for the relaunch

Stop the bleeding related to export and start again by focusing on promotion. These, in a nutshell, are the ingredients that have led to the (re)birth of a technical table dedicated to wine and that will see in the front row institutions but also entrepreneurs. A move that stems from a situation that is certainly not rosy for the sector, especially if analyzed from the point of view of foreign trade. ISTAT data for the first half of 2020 showed a drop of 3.4% over the same period 2019, with shipments of wine from Italy to world markets stopping at 2.9 billion euros.
The resumption of the work of the technical table on wine, presented as permanent, according to what was announced in the “Milano Wine Week”, will see the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Agricultural Policies, the Ice Agency (National Institute for Foreign Trade) and, among the business representatives, Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), as a first step to make a common front and move quickly to action.
“The decision by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - said the President of Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), Ernesto Abbona - to reconstitute a technical working table dedicated to wine together with representatives of Mipaaf and Ice as part of the actions provided for by the Export Pact is in the direction we hope and support. For this reason we appreciate what was announced by the Undersecretary to Maeci, Manlio Di Stefano, and the Minister of Agricultural Policies, Teresa Bellanova, regarding the launch of a strategic table for internationalization, which will see Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) among the protagonists”. And it is precisely UIV, with regard to the relaunch strategy and in particular the increase, from 100 to 150 million euros for the CMO Promotion measure, that has obtained assurances from the Minister of Agriculture Teresa Bellanova, who has guaranteed “the maximum commitment also to prepare additional resources on national projects. We are working on this and we reiterate our full willingness to confront the Regions and share with all parties”. The Minister then emphasized the important role that businesses must play in the debate. “The specific table on support for internationalization will be convened as soon as possible - as requested by me - and will have an extremely operational nature. Because I will never tire of saying that it is from companies that the indications to optimize strategies and policies aimed at the sector must arrive”.
According to the association of reference for Italian wine, which will intervene on behalf of companies, it will be essential to bring to the table concrete actions to relaunch an export that for the first time in the last two decades is suffering a decline due to the health emergency. Among the fundamental points are the urgent implementation of an institutional communication plan focused on priority markets (USA, Canada, China), planned and shared also with a view to relaunching wine tourism. A system direction that aims to channel resources into macro-actions, avoiding dispersion into smaller initiatives in terms of both impact and scope. According to Uiv, it will be necessary to prepare integrated plans with a view to the market but also to brand awareness in favor of Made in Italy wine products in strategic markets still culturally distant.