One last formality left before the all-clear. Sicilian producers well receive the agreement with Beijing. Exports are on the rise.
It may not be like selling rice to China – but it's close. Despite China being the first citrus producer in the world (38 million tons), Sicily (with just about 1.6 million tons) decided to try its hand at exporting its produce of excellence toward the Asian country anyway.
Yesterday the Ministry of Agriculture had the last barrier lifted when he signed the all-clear for a Sicilian produce air transport agreement. The decision fell under Gian Marco Centinaio's mission in China, together with his renewal of President Mattarella’s invite to Chinese leader.
Up until now citrus could only travel by sea. It is not the first agreement Italy and China have signed on the topic of food exports, and Sicilian citrus producers are now one formality handling away from accessing some interesting new opportunities. Still, Sicily expects them to be nothing but the stepping stone for bigger chances of high-quality produce exports in China.
"We acknowledge Minister of Economic Development Di Maio's efforts – for predicting the negotiations' resolution and for working in the interests of citrus producers, managing to finally bring home a much-desired outcome. We also recognize the work done by the Sicilian regional administration team for Agriculture in supporting the regulation's amendments aimed at favouring the businesses concerned. This was what we were missing. We can now place some excellence produce on the Chinese market," President of Sicilian Citrus Precinct Federica Argentati said. According to Eurostat data, in 2016 Italian citrus exports totalled well over 300 thousand tons, growing up 20% compared to 2015 and up 39% compared to 2006, and are still on the rise today. Meanwhile, imports are now registering a loss (-24%) while remaining still higher than exports – 358 thousand tons in total.
Among citruses, the most imported and exported produce are oranges. Lemons and limes come in second place for imports, while exports see tangerines and clementines in the same position. The Citrus Precinct represents around a hundred producers, for a total turnover of 400 million Euros.
"The Precinct," Argentati continues, "has always been pushing for air transport, as well as for opening up to a rather new and wide market for citrus. The ongoing dialogue entertained with institutional and governing representatives, together with the forums exploring different aspects of exporting to China – from quality brand protection to discussing terms with the Chinese trade giant Alibaba, interested in bringing Sicilian oranges to China – are all part of the Precinct’s effort to promote trades with the Asian country." The ball is now in the Sicilian producers’ court who, as Argentati well explained, shouldn’t miss out on such a good chance to reach a rather big and new market.
"Now it's up to the citrus industry to tune in and take full advantage of such a good opportunity, starting from complying with the crop protection protocols enforced through the agreement up to coordinating logistics and transport. We have a lot of systemic revision in front of us, but it is going to help us prove the Sicilian citrus industry is ready to access foreign and less-known markets which, just like China, still manage to offer a great prospect,” Argentati concluded. "The Precinct, as always, will be supporting the industry in its entirety, hoping to promote Sicilian productions and to make the best out of a now accessible opportunity." Even the members of the Five Star Movement expressed their satisfaction with the deal.
"Citrus air transport used to be forbidden, leaving our businessmen to resort to sea transport thus experiencing important economic losses. Yet now the Chinese citizens will be able to enjoy one of Italy's excellence produce. We promised, together with our Sicilian representatives, that we were going to achieve this goal, and we managed to keep our promise," stated Five Star congressmen in the productive activities committee of the House of Parliament.
(Source:Class Editori)
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