Verona: 18 October 2005 - 2005 harvest down compared with last year. Grape production is down by 11%, with output at around 47.5 million hectolitres compared with 53.3 millions in recent years. This downturn was announced in the official data of Assoenologi (Italian Oenologists Association) presented this morning in Verona during the XVI Renato Ratti Seminar, the traditional appointment dedicated to the Italian and international wine sector organised in collaboration with ICE (National Institute for International Trade) and VeronaFiere-Vinitaly.
“In terms of quantity, this is a poor vintage,” said Giuseppe Martelli, Director General of Assoenologi, “but still better than results in 2002 (44.6 million hectolitres) and 2003 (44.1 million hectolitres) - the lowest figures in recent decades. Quality, on the other hand, is very variable. Even within the same regions, good, optimal, excellent and mediocre results are seen.”
The most significant decreases were recorded in the Veneto (-25%, from 8,843,000 hectolitres to 6,620,000), followed by Emilia Romagna, Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia (-20%). Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia go against the trend as the only regions achieving growth (5%).
As for exports, Stefano Raimondi, director of the Wines&Beverages Office of ICE, pointed out that “in the first six months of 2005 volume was up by 8.3% and value by 1.4%, with good performances in the United Kingdom (+16.6% in value), Denmark (+7.6%), Czech Republic (+96%) and Switzerland (+13%). On the other hand, Germany saw a 2% drop in value but growth of 9% in volume. The US market, with 27% of exports, is the main outlet channel for Italian wines.”
Luigi Castelletti and Giovanni Mantovani, President and Director General of VeronaFiere, lastly, highlighted the need to support companies in their internationalisation process by helping them to win new market shares abroad. “This is why 24-28 October we will be in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles with Vinitaly US Tour, in Shanghai 24-26 November with Vinitaly China and in India in January 2006. The Vinitaly brand is exploited as a successful promotional factor in driving Italian wine exports.”
In 2006, Vinitaly will be travel not only to India but also to China, the United States of America, Japan and Russia.
Press release - VeronaFiere Press Office
Tel.: + 39.045.829.82.90 – 82.85 – 82.42 – 83.78
Fax: +39.045.829.81.13
E-mail: pressoffice@veronafiere.it
Feed
0 Responses to “2005 Italian Harvest Down by 11%”