Global exports of Italian food products set a new record, with an increase of 3.3% compared to 2017. This is what emerges from an analysis by Italian farmers association Coldiretti on Istat data, relating to foreign trade in the first 7 months of 2018. Almost two-thirds of Italian food exports go to EU countries. The most important market is Germany, where exports grew by 4.9%. The increase in the UK was reduced (+2%) due to the effects of the tensions caused by the negotiations on Brexit, the bad trend in exchange rates, and the new nationalistic trends.
ITALIAN FOOD EXPORTS TO NON-EU COUNTRIES
Relations with the U.S., by far the most important market for Italian food outside the EU, are a cause for concern. In fact, there is a slowdown in the growth rate of exports to the USA. Made in Italy food sales recorded an increase of just 1.2%. Russian market is recovering, with an increase of 7.8% despite the embargo on imports for a long list of food products including fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat and sausages, and fish from the EU, USA, Canada, Norway, and Australia.
THE FIGHT AGAINST COUNTERFEITING
“The sales trend on international markets could be further improved with a more effective protection against international agri-food piracy. It can boast a turnover of more than 100 billion euros by improperly using words, colors, locations, images, names and recipes that refer to Italy for products that have nothing to do with Italian food”, said Coldiretti’s president Roberto Moncalvo, underlining that “we are also concerned about the new bilateral commercial agreements made by the EU. From CETA with Canada to Japan, it is in fact opening the doors to the counterfeiting of Made in Italy”.