Valpolicella races on the Italian and worldwide wine industry, led by Amarone and Ripasso

Good news from the markets for Valpolicella, the red zone of the driving force Veneto, under the spotlight at Anteprima Amarone. To tell the numbers of Nomisma Wine Monitor, which says that “after a difficult 2018, exports have started again positively with some shadow in the USA - said Andrea Sartori, president of the Consorzio Vini Valpolicella - despite the increase in competition on international markets, negative trends and trade wars. Now we have to work on the average price, an aspect to be improved in consideration of 2019 that saw the growth of export volumes (+ 7.2%) prevail over that of value (+ 4%). Ripasso had more consistent and balanced growth (+ 9.9% in value and 8.9% in volume), while Valpolicella suffered a little (+ 0.7% and -1%). The good news, given that the domestic market is still the most important, is that Amarone grows in Italy with an increase of 6.8% (+ 7.9% by volume)”.
The 2019 Amarone market has a total turnover of 350 million euros, and if the growth in the demand in the country has led to a slight decrease in the export incidence compared to the turnover (62.4%), both the historical outlet destinations and some emerging areas have grown abroad. This is the case of Denmark (+ 20% in value), which outperforms the positive market in Canada in sixth place (+ 5%), but also in Japan (ninth), which enters the top 10 of buyers thanks to an increase in the 15%, and China (eighth), which marks a + 5%, trend in contrast to the decline in European wine orders by the Dragon. Among the outlets, Sweden - in fourth place at + 18% - approaches Switzerland (-6%), which leaves the lowest step of the podium to Great Britain, at + 18% and a market share that rises at 12.5%. The United States remains in second place, despite a 2% contraction and Germany, which is worth 16.3% of total foreign sales thanks also to a 6% increase in sales in 2018.
“There is no doubt for me that soon - concluded Sartori (who is not a candidate for the presidency of the Consortium, editor's note) - there will still be work to be done on the specifications to further increase the quality. And there is still a lot to do on promotion and sustainability, on which, however, with the RRR protocol (Reduce, Save, Respect) we are ahead. We have an important project with Avepa (Veneto Agency for Payments in Agriculture): an in-depth study of the territory, as regards economic sustainability”.
Anteprima Amarone 2016 was also the occasion for an analysis of the context in which the Italian wine sector is moving with a video message from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and a speech (via skype) by MEP Paolo De Castro.
Minister Teresa Bellanova stressed the centrality of our wine heritage and reassured about the progress of the establishment of the “wine control room” and the implementing decrees of the Consolidation Act. She emphasized other issues such as the fight against counterfeiting, the return of wine culture in schools, the strengthening of the research provided for by the budget law and, regarding sustainability, she announced that the definition of the single certification system will soon become clearer for consumers and simplify the tasks for companies, also making the dynamics of future European funding more transparent.
“From now until December 31, 2021 - assured Paolo De Castro, S&D coordinator to the Agriculture Commission of the European Parliament - there will be no changes on the exchange of goods, services and people between the EU and the UK. The future will depend on the agreements that we will sign in a year from now, which according to many observers may not be enough even if Boris Johnson is convinced of it. On the front of the duties imposed by the United States, to avoid tightening them, meetings between government and EU representatives with the Americans continue. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, will meet Donald Trump in the coming days to avoid the escalation of duties from 25% to 100% and / or the so-called “carousel”, that is the rotation of duties on various products. The US has been authorized by the Court of the World Trade Organization (WTO), following the ruling on aid to Airbus in their favor, to impose sanctions on Europe for a maximum limit of $ 7.5 billion, for now half recovered from the North Americans. The WTO’s opinion on the case of US government aid to Boeing is expected between April and May, which will put the EU in a position to negotiate on equal terms on the duties imposed by Trump. Otherwise a “ping pong” of duties would start which would not be good for anyone. However, the European Union could implement countermeasures, such as blocking the entry of American soybeans into Europe, which would cause serious damage to the US agricultural economy. But I hope it doesn’t come to this”.
“The reform of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on wine - continued De Castro - is going through a delicate moment. We need to apply some instruments of production planning and supply regulation that help producers and consortia, as happened in the dairy sector. Something that in France and Spain have already done by interpreting in this sense the latest revision of the CAP 2014-2020”.