China: Coldiretti, +20% made in Italy food exports in 2019

Record leap of Made in Italy food in China which marks a 20% increase in exports in 2019. This is what emerges from an analysis by Coldiretti based on Istat data for the month of January disclosed on the occasion of the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Italy. A trend that has been underway for years is strengthened - underlines Coldiretti - with exports of Made in Italy agri-food products to China which reached the historical record of 2018 million euros in 439, a value that has more than tripled in the last 10 years (+254%) with the progressive opening of the Asian giant to Western lifestyles. The most exported product in China - explains Coldiretti - is wine for a value of 127 million euros in 2018 with Italy which has overtaken Spain and has become the fourth exporter to Beijing. However, the agri-food imports from China in the same year - continues Coldiretti - amounted to 594 million and exceeded the value of Made in Italy exports in the sector by 35% in 2018, confirming the need to rebalance trade relations. The technical barriers still present for national productions are holding back Made in Italy agri-food shipments - continues Coldiretti. In fact, if the ban on Italian pork was removed in 2016 and the borders opened in China for Italian alfalfa in 2018, at the moment as regards fresh fruit - continues Coldiretti - Italy can export to China only kiwis and citrus fruits while the apples and pears subject to a specific negotiation are still blocked. China - concludes Coldiretti - is also in second place worldwide among the countries that triggered the most food alarms in the European Union during 2018 and for this reason it is important to guarantee the safety and respect for the workers' rights of the products who cross the border.