Le logistic infrastructures of ports for agri-food they can look to the future with greater confidence. The decree which allocates 150 million euros until 2026 was signed by the Minister of Agriculture Stephen Patuanelli.
I Italian ports they will have to adapt structures and means within a few years, as written in the PNRR. The specific measure is not limited only to the agri-food sector, but it is a measure which generally facilitates the movement of more made in Italy products. It has a good environmental and ecological characterization for everything that is treated on the docks and which is reflected in the pollution levels of the port cities.
The decree arrived in days of strong economic tension due to both the increase in the general costs of raw materials and energy expenditure. Phase 2 is now characterized by the projects to be presented. Basically over four years it will be necessary to expand, restructure and digitize areas, spaces and buildings necessary for goods.
Port authorities will have to worry about improve commercial capacity in all dedicated areas – very often old and inadequate – to reduce environmental impacts. But it will also be necessary to coordinate with external bodies for the transport of raw materials, containers, semi-finished products and goods in general. A good planning of the new infrastructures will also have to include production sites, logistics centers outside the ports and fruit and vegetable markets.
Port infrastructure for the agri-food sector: more funds in the South
Notwithstanding that at least 40% of the 150 million are destined for initiatives for the South, the proposals that the government expects will have to be broad and as organic as possible to the agri-food and transport systems.
Port Authorities can apply for access to the contribution, with a maximum of two projects per applicant. What costs are allowed? Each project must have a total cost of between 5 and 20 million euros, for a maximum grantable loan of 10 million euros. Furthermore "in some of the categories of eligible investments, the grant granted cannot be greater than the difference between the eligible costs and the operating result of the investment (funding gap)".
Le subsidies are non-refundable and they will be obtained through a ranking. In short, both Patuanelli and the government take advantage of the good time for Italian agricultural exports for new infrastructure. The main bottlenecks to the increase in exports derive from the delays with which Italy is dealing with. In the PNRR – which the right wing says it wants to change during the electoral campaign – these projects are well outlined and covered by European funds. Calling them into question would mean taking them to a dead end while exports at the end of the year could reach 60 billion in turnover.
We have to modernize national logistics,” he explains Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti – because it is the one that represents damage every year in terms of less opportunity for our country. Let's start with the first 150 million.
