Abundant grape harvest, Fedagri Confcoop: 'Excessive alarms, targeted measures needed'

'Italian wine needs everything except a happy degrowth'. In the discussion on the grape harvest with production up on the last two years, which will be added to unsold wine stocks that are still high and market concerns dominated by the unknown tariffs, the president of Fedagri-Confcooperative, Raffaele Drei, intervenes. Drei's is a privileged vantage point on the world of wine, given that over 50% of Italian wine production depends on the universe of cooperation.

'Production,' added Drei, 'will certainly be higher than in the last two years in which there were first climatic problems and then phytosanitary difficulties that cut harvests. But I do not see an oversupply scenario. The variance at the end of the harvest will not be significant, just as I do not see an increase in stocks. On the contrary, the market requires more grape must for enrichment and a slice of production will probably be diverted to this specific production segment. In short, I am not pessimistic. I do not hide the fact that there are difficulties, but these cannot be solved simply by cutting production. On the contrary. I am convinced that the difficulties of Italian wine cannot be laid solely at the door of production. It must be borne by the entire supply chain by adopting measures also on the front of the enlargement of outlet markets'.

In fact, one of the crucial junctions is right downstream of the supply chain with the US tariffs, but also with consumptions that are generally not brilliant and see some product categories, such as red wines, in more difficulty than others. "The issue of market difficulties," Drei goes on to explain, "is not generalised but relates only to certain types of wine. The large denominations do not seem to be suffering. In some territories and for some products, however, it may be necessary to adopt dedicated measures. I am referring above all to those who produce red DOC wines, and therefore Piedmont, Tuscany, Abruzzo or Emilia itself with Lambrusco. In these territories, measures are needed such as support for storage, financial support for companies and distillation. But we need selective measures focused on real difficulties and not generalised cuts'.

The Italian Wine Union has proposed a suspension of planting authorisations. In fact, Italy is the only European country that has increased its vineyard area in recent years. In other countries vineyards are explanted.
"I think that crisis areas should be excluded from the new authorisations," continued the president of Fedagri. "It is nonsense to plant vineyards in a production basin that has asked for crisis distillation. So I agree with suspending them, but always selectively and with a derogation for young entrepreneurs. In agriculture we have a great need for generational change and if a young person wants to enter the world of wine it would be a boomerang to hinder them'.

In the background remainsthe issue of yields of generic wines, which the 2016 Testo Unico del Vino aimed to limit to 300 quintals per hectare while instead, thanks to derogations in many areas, they continue to travel at 400 quintals. "But even in that case," added Drei, "selectivity is required. Even in the table wine segment, it is the reds that suffer. It is much better for whites and especially sparkling wines. Cutting yields indiscriminately for the ordinary wine sector would risk opening up market space to our competitors without any positive return for Italian wine. Happy degrowth does not exist'.