MILAN, Jun 18 (Class Editori) – According to European Food News – the news agency specialized in the agricultural sector – Coldiretti recently released a statement regarding Italian apples' success in India. Given the backdrop of the current tariff war, it makes for a small but significant step forward for Italian exports.
According to the Italian Farmers Organization, during the first quarter of 2019 apples national exports toward the Asian country have surpassed 30 million kilograms for the first time ever, growing at the x15 record rate against the same period last year.
The results are connected with an analysis of ISTAT data (the Italian National Institute of Statistics), and likely derive from India's enforcement of 28 new customs on US products – including apples and almonds – following President Trump's decision to back out of the preferential trade agreement with the Asian country.
"The Indian market has great potential for apples, as they are the most-consumed import product. The southern, eastern and western regions are constantly-growing markets," said Coldiretti. "Those Italian mountain apples best satisfying Indian demand are the Gala, the Granny and the Red Delicious varieties – also presenting the right characteristics for bearing long-distance transport (about 4 weeks) without losing the crunchiness and taste contributing to their fame around the world".
The fast growth observed in the last few months in India is due to stabilize itself, according to Coldiretti, as the Asian country adopts new measures against the US – the world's biggest apple exporter, leaving Italy in third place.
"The custom war constitutes an element of great distortion and danger for world trade, weighing on economic growth. Yet, it is also painting a new landscape allowing Italian productions to access new opportunities, and Italy must make an effort to seize them," concluded Coldiretti.
Indeed, it makes for an important opportunity – for both products and machinery connected with the agricultural supply chain, as new India has started betting on the sector. After all, the country can rely on the second widest arable land in the world, counting 160 million hectares spread over 20 different climatic zones, and employing around 60% of the population. Most farmers (85%) work in small or micro agricultural properties, but still contribute to generating a 42-billion-dollar turnover every year.
"In order to help India achieve its goals – as set by the government, and expecting the injection of investments for 160 billion dollars in agriculture – Italy embodies the ideal partner," noted Claudio Maffioletti, General Secretary of the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai – one of Sistema Italia's most important strongholds in the subcontinent. The organization is active in supporting the businesses operating in the sector, providing them with assistance during market entrance, and with contacts of local Indian operators interested in starting business with Italy.
Following the complex supply chain, starting from the fields and developing all the way to the final products – destined either to large distribution or to the luxury chain – there are several Italian companies trying to muscle in, and often succeeding.
One of the segments where bilateral cooperation is stronger – thanks Italian technology's level of development – is that of specialized mechanical engineering, bringing farming machinery and components into the play. Some examples are Carraro (gearboxes and axles for tractors) and Maschio Gaspardo (equipment for agriculture). At the same time, food processing makes for another important area of collaboration, as it constitutes one of Indian agriculture’s biggest tragedies – where the industry is forced to waste a good portion of its products for lack of effective conservation installations.
(Source:Class Editori)
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