Wine flies in double digits in sales both in Italy and in Europe, but still has little to toast for. Blame the boom in price increases, also in double figures, which affect the finished product in the order of 30%. A bill for the sector of over 1 billion euros, which will soon force companies to review the price lists previously agreed with distributors and importers. This is the alarm raised by the Italian Wine Union (UIV).
"The skyrocketing costs concern everything, from dry raw materials to the product, then from glass to labels, from cartons to bottle closures, from transport (with tariffs for containers that have risen by 400%) to electricity up to average price of the wine itself, which thanks to a low-volume harvest rises in several cases to + 40% compared to last year. A combination that, according to the secretary general, Paolo Castelletti "costs the sector even more than estimated just a month and a half ago: at present the additional 'bill' for the sector now exceeds 1 billion euros, and this net of the difficulties in wine deliveries, which are beginning to show themselves even if to a much lesser extent than in France ".
"It is quite clear - added the secretary of the association which represents 85% of Italian exports in the sector - that companies will soon be forced to review the price lists previously agreed with distributors and importers. they will be easy to manage, because it risks crushing the weakest companies with the danger of generating a dangerous downward spiral.
We therefore ask the Government for maximum attention in the next budget law and fiscal delegation measures, to ensure cost reduction measures fixed (taxation on labor and energy) that can support the productive world and not mortify its competitiveness ".
From North to South, the picture provided by the main UIV member companies is the same.
For Daniele Simoni, managing director of Schenk (50 million bottles a year): "We will be forced to renegotiate the price lists as early as the beginning of next year: some Docs, such as Primitivo di Manduria, appreciated up to 50 %, Prosecco by 30%, but also in Tuscany or Piedmont the values have risen ".
In Valdobbiadene, in the Mionetto company - almost 40 million bottles -, the situation is the same: "We cannot think of absorbing all these increases with our own strength - said the managing director, Alessio del Savio -; cardboard, glass, capsules and labels have an account higher than 20% but in addition to the expense there is a not secondary problem of supply ".
From Conegliano to Erbusco with Terra Moretti, a group that from Franciacorta has expanded its production range into 3 regions and 6 wineries.
For the CEO, Massimo Tuzzi: "Only with glass suppliers the increase is reported in double digits, but all components are on the rise. It is clear that from January we will be forced to increase prices, but our goal is to absorb , as far as possible, part of the surplus: in the face of the difficulties of the period, we believe it is right for everyone to do their part, both in the production and in the commercial sphere ".
