Agrelma: Italian Food, prospects for the 2007
Italian Wine
While the importance of “Italian wine importers” is growing, and we hope that to this growth also Agrelma has helped, there is a rest for the domestic consumption. Since 2000 until today it has been registered a contraction of the 12%.
Extra-virgin olive oil
2006 has been the first year in which man has not applied the system of the help to production.
An epochal passing, if man considers that it handled of a regime in force since different decades. Now, following the choices of the Italian Government, the Community support to the olive producers is completely “de-coupled” from the production and so there are no links with the effective production of oil.
It remains urgent the problem of the labelling of the origin of the olive oil, although considering the European regulation.
Milk
It weighs on the zootechnic milk sector, most of all that bovine, the alternation of the application of the new provisions in point of nitrates directive.
It remains yet unresolved the question of the correct application of the regime of the milk quota, even if the Government and the Regions are undertaking in the direction of the auspicate normalisation.
It arouses some worries the debate open at European level on the possible suppression of the regime since 2015.
Bovine Meat
After the application of the “de-couplement” since 2005, the trend for the bovine meat sector seems to be addressed to a rationalization of the supply and in particular to the fall of the veals. The bovine meat division is passing a period of transitions. And the decrease of the slaughters registered in the past year has been now recovered.
Pork meat
During 2006 man has taken a lot of steps forward towards the full effectiveness of the Po big pork cooperative. The operators hope that this initiative can allow an adequate increase in value of the meat cuts normally addressed to the fresh use.
A threat for the sector is due to the application of new national and regional provisions in point of nitrates directive, that introduce restrictive elements and other burdens for the management for the breeding, most of all that situated in the most vulnerable area, where it is necessary to satisfy to very rigorous requisites.
Aviculture Meat and Eggs
There is to recover the situation of strong crisis due to the bird flu. The signs of resumption of the months of 2006, both as far as the production is concerned, that regarding the share, makes people hope well.
There is however a strong worry for the profitability of the breeding. Among the rising problems, there are that related to the environment management of the dejections of the breeding in relation to the recent provisions.
Fruit
Also for the fruit the 2007 will be principally the year of the discussion about the revision of the Ocm in during community. For the fresh fruits the decisions about the future of the quality rules will be crucial, in particular for the maintenance of the obligatoriness of the origin indication, as well as the management of the market crisis. It is an innovative instrument that could be activated efficaciously for the situation of the Italian market characterized by recurring phenomenon of imbalance between demand and supply.
2007 will be surely characterised by the negotiations that could bring forward the Ocm reforms at the European level. As far as fresh products are concerned, bureaucratic simplifications are announced and a valorisation of producers. The new support for transformed tomatoes is more problematic and is clearly oriented to unemployment even if have to be determined the application and titles that are assigned to producers.
Plants and flowers
Floriculture and nurseries is an important compartment in the Italian agriculture. The 2006 vintage date was particular with ups and downs. There were a cost increase but also an amelioration of the trade balance (+24%) and a consumption increase (+6 – 7%). There are premises for the compartment growth in 2007 that emphasises more on innovations, marketing and quality in other to face competition.
Sugar Beetroots
The Italian sugar production is still in a transition phase but that could undergo some sacrifices more than those already done.
The possibility for sugar companies still in activity to adhere to the reorganisation in the Pac area and to ask the dismantling of the systems.
Rice
The consumption increase in the European union represents a good opportunity for the Italian rice sector. In the following years, the sector should consolidate its competitiveness and show its capacity to meet the demand and introduce innovations that suit to consumers.
Hard wheat
The difficulties that emerge in the past years provoked a sort of cohesion in the production area. The operators have been engaged in the past months to the elaboration and carrying out integrated programs that act on principal critical area of the sector like logistics, stocks, the raw material quality, price incentives in favour of producers who guarantee requirements that satisfy the production.
Some examples of the integration in the sector have been in Emilia Romagna, Apuglia, Sicily and in other regions of cereal vocations.
Maize
Farmers hope that the positive tendency registered in the last months of 2006 will follow also in future. In such a way, conditions for the culture expansion could be created in other to reach a level better than the past one also because maize may substitute beet from sugar.
With a sort of interest, farmers look at the possibility to use the maize culture like biomass for the production of agro energetic products.
