The slowdown of the Italian economy in 2011 was mitigated and counterbalanced by the trend of exports which, in the agri-food sector, recorded record values.
According to an analysis conducted by Coldiretti and based on Istat data relating to the first three quarters of 2011, Italian agri-food exports recorded an overall increase of 9%. The sector that has provided the most important contribution to this growth has been the wine sector which, with a turnover of 4 billion euros, has recorded the historical record in terms of export value. This is an increase of 14% on an annual basis, mainly driven by the countries of the European Union (which represent about half of total exports) followed by the United States and Asian countries. An impressive figure concerns China where the increase on an annual basis in exports was equal to 87%.
According to the data provided by some Italian consortia (Consortium for the protection of Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Roero, Consortium for the protection of Valpolicella Wines, Consortium of Chianti Classico) the percentage of wine production that is absorbed by the foreign market is very high and stands between 60% and 80% of the total product.
Analyzing the 2011 harvest, Coldiretti underlines the clear drop in production, which stopped at 40 million hectoliters (-14% compared to 2010). By virtue of these data, Italy loses its first position in the ranking of world producers in favor of France (50,2 million hectoliters) and is almost reached by Spain (39,9 million hectoliters). In spite of the reduction in the quantity of the harvest there was an increase in quality; in fact, almost two thirds of the production is made up of wines belonging to the Docg, Doc and Igt categories.
The growth in exports has not only affected the wine sector but the entire agri-food sector, for this reason the president of Coldiretti declared that: "The positive performance recorded on international markets by the most representative sector of the real economy demonstrates that the country can return to growth only if it invests in its own resources which are territories, identity, culture and food”.
The results obtained could be even better if, as Coldiretti points out, action were taken against international "agro-piracy", which according to an estimate is worth around 60 billion euros.
