«Today we can present together a key event for the Italian system, because Vinitaly represents in the world the entire Italian wine experience. In Verona there will be the opportunity to take stock of the things made by the government for bureaucratic simplification and internationalization of our companies and to launch the new targets beyond the Expo 2015, including the Consolidation Act on wine, for the reorganization of the sector».
At the press conference to present the 49th Vinitaly (22–25 March 2015), held today in Rome at the Auditorium Via Veneto, the Minister of Agriculture Maurizio Martina has thus relaunched the government’s commitment to support the Italian wine and the validity of the cooperation implemented in time with Veronafiere for the implementation of policies of economic development and promotion of Made in Italy products in international markets.
«We are aware of the role that has been recognized to us by companies and institutions – Ettore Riello, President of Veronafiere, said – a service platform for the internationalization of enterprises. With this commitment we are working to achieve the goal launched last year by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visiting Vinitaly, to increase wine exports of 50% by 2020».
«Consistent with the b2b identity of the Exhibition – Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere, explained – Vinitaly 2015 will be the culmination of an intense incoming activity, we have developed and enhanced with the important support of the MISE, the Italian Trade Agency – ICE and also thanks to MIPAAF. Joining forces allowed us to involve buyers and delegations of operators selected from all over the world, with an increase of the financial investment of 34% over last year».
2014 was a difficult year for various international circumstances, but the business sentiment is positive, as shown by a survey of Vinitaly on 30 of the most important wine realities. It is a ’scientifically unrepresentative’ panel, but certainly significant for the business volume expressed, a total of about 2 billion of sales volume, and for entrepreneurial dynamism. It was found that in 2014 there was a growth in turnover of Italian wineries of 5% compared to 2013 and, an important information, 55% of those express confidence for 2015; 35% in the first two months have already had positive feedback and 5% expect a very positive year. «We learned that these days it is difficult to predict and that numbers change quickly, especially in light of rapid and unpredictable changes in the international geopolitical order which may have direct effects on the sector, but it is indisputable – Mantovani concluded – that the Italian wine sector shows its vitality and capacity for growth».
The 49th edition of Vinitaly was precisely designed to allow producers and operators to amplify as much as possible the opportunities that are emerging and to create new ones. B2b meetings were organized among the buyers of the delegations hosted and the exhibitors within the International Buyer Lounge. A major conference, requested by consortiums of protection, wineries and other companies in the sector, will examine instead the subject of TTIP negotiations (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the US). To this, the focus on Hong Kong, China, the USA, Russia, Brazil, Australia is added.
Confidence on the quality of the initiatives of Vinitaly is confirmed by the consolidation of over 4,000 exhibitors and by the over 91,000 square meters of occupied area, which become 100,000 with Sol&Agrifood and Enolitech, the quality agribusiness exhibitions (with the part devoted to extra virgin olive oil produced in collaboration with Unaprol) and technical means for the supply chain of wine and oil that take place simultaneously.
Among the major initiatives of Vinitaly, OperaWine scheduled for 21st March in collaboration with the leading American magazine Wine Spectator and, from 16th to 20th March, always in Verona, the first course of certification for specialists of Italian wine. It is an innovative project by VIA – Vinitaly International Academy (the educational project of Vinitaly International with the scientific direction of Ian D’Agata), which releases, after a final exam, two levels of certification: Italian Wine Ambassador (IWA) and Italian Wine Expert (IWE). Fifty candidates, representing the top professionals in the industry (responsible for some of the major international hotel chains, journalists, Master of Wine) from China, the United States, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Korea, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Russia, Singapore and Ukraine. Always organized by VIA, three Master Class+ during Vinitaly, not only of Italian wines. In collaboration with Ismea, a conference on artisanal wines, another great wealth of Italian oenology.
At Vinitaly, even the official presentation of Vino – A taste of Italy, the pavilion of wine within the Italia Pavilion of the Universal Exhibition in Milan, created by Veronafiere–Vinitaly for the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, the Italia Pavilion and Expo 2015 S.p.A. «I thank you very much for the work done by VeronaFiere – Minister Martina said at the conclusion of the press conference – for the work done so far, including the preparation of the country for Expo 2015».
Source: Vinitaly 2015 Press Release
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26/02/2015
