“The downturn in the positive trend that exports of Italian wine have undergone in this year also derives from uncertainty and discontinuity that our companies are experiencing. That is why continuity of policies, and regularity in the management of resources for promotion must be guaranteed. We need the institutional promotion of the Italian wine system abroad to continue. This is why we are asking for the immediate appointment of the new ICE (Italian Trade Agency) top management. The funds for the ‘Extraordinary plan for the promotion of Made in Italy’ shall be confirmed to promote our wines in the USA and China, as well as free trade agreements, as with Canada and Japan”. With these words Ernesto Abbona, President of Unione Italiana Vini (UIV, Italian Wine Union) opened, yogether with the Italian Minister of Agriculture Gian Marco Centinaio, the ‘Export all’italiana. Tutti per uno, nessuno per tutti’ opening conference of Wine2Wine, the wine forum powered by Veronafiere and Vinitaly.
ITALIAN WINE: FOCUS ON EXPORTS
The event was attended by Maurizio Danese (President of Veronafiere), Giovanni Mantovani (General Manager of Veronafiere), representatives of the supply chain Sandro Boscaini (President of Federvini), Matilde Poggi (President of Fivi), and Denis Pantini, project leader of Nomisma Wine Monitor. The conference focused on exports, with particular reference to forecast estimates for the 2018 vintage, and also on current programmes and actions to promote Made in Italy production. “Since resources are limited, they must not be wasted – added Abbona. We must focus on the territories that have the capacity to represent Italy in the world, and on ambassadors such as Vinitaly and Italian Trade Agency”.
THE PRODUCERS’ TASK
“We producers, too – concluded the President of UIV – must finally have the foresight to reorganize the offer of our Geographical Indications. The designations certainly represent our peculiarity, and a great wealth too. But it is the Italian wine system that we must streamline, to make it more effective and easier to communicate”.