Over the past year, sales abroad of Made in Italy tractors and machines for viticulture grew, including sprayers, sprayers, motor hoes, trimmers and small-sized, low-power tractors. This has mainly affected the EU partners, which account for over 70% of exports. In detail, France recorded an increase in orders in 2021 of over +36% for a turnover of 144 million euros, confirming itself as the first market worldwide for Italian tractors with power from 37Kw to 75Kw, followed by Germany (+24%), Spain (+55%) and Austria (+49%). Among the fastest growing destination markets is Slovenia (+111%), which doubles its orders, while outside Europe the excellent numbers of South Africa (+46%), Chile (+84%) and Israel (+63%).
Another excellent news for exports comes from footwear. According to the data collected published by the Study Center of Confindustria Moda for Assocalzaturifici, in the first three months of this year there was growth in both foreign sales of +21,4% and domestic consumption (+20,6%). For the sector, 2021 closed with a total turnover up by +18,7% to 12,7 billion euro, however still below -11% compared to the 14,3 billion in 2019, and a national production of 148,8 million pairs (+13,8%). The consolidation of the recovery that has begun is, however, overshadowed by clouds on the horizon. The effects of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the surge in energy costs and the failure to ease the price lists of raw materials are holding back the recovery. The footwear districts traditionally exposed to Eastern Europe were particularly affected, which recorded the cancellation of shipments of goods for delivery and orders in the portfolio: in March, flows to Russia contracted by -51% in value, by - 95% those to Ukraine.
Exports recorded an overall growth of +11,7% in quantity and +21,4% in value over the first 3 months of 2021 (+8,7% average prices). 58,7 million pairs were exported, for 3 billion euros. The EU markets are recovering (+9% in volume and +18% in value, with +22% in value for France, linked to supplies to brands, +16% in Germany, +20% in Spain and +37% in Netherlands). Even more positive numbers for non-EU markets (+18% in quantity and +25% in value), among which the following stand out: +70% in value in the USA (already exceeded the pre-Covid level), South Korea (+ 16%, both in value and in pairs), China (+28% in value).
From a regional point of view, Veneto (+10,7% in value on January-March 2021) and Tuscany (+26,6%) are confirmed at the top for exports (together they cover just under half of the national total), followed by Lombardy (+33%). In the order of 20% the increases for Puglia (+22,3%), Emilia Romagna (+20,1%) and Marche (which marks a +19% despite the decrease of -35% in value towards Russia and the -51% to Ukraine).
