(ANSA) - ROME, JANUARY 19 - The SMEs of the food industry are with water in their throats and, if things do not change as soon as possible, by 2022 many companies will close with an estimated loss of over 40 thousand jobs . This was announced by Ivano Vacondio, president of Federalimentare, commenting on the dramatic situation that the food industry is experiencing due to the increases in energy costs which, added to those of raw materials, drastically reduce the margins of companies. "Many of our industries are as energy-intensive as that of steel or ceramics and as these need immediate attention and help, they cannot be forgotten", underlines Vacondio, in recalling the fundamental social role of food. The situation is more and more desperate,the president warns, "so much so that some of our companies have started to shut down the plants in the hours when the cost of energy is highest, and then reactivate them in the times when consumption is lower. A dramatic signal in front of which no I see great solutions ".
"We asked the Government for help by also sending a formal letter to Draghi in which we reiterate the situation in which we find ourselves - recalls Vacondio - but my fear is that there are not enough resources to solve this problem which has become enormous".
The real question, according to the president, "is that we are dealing with the race for environmental sustainability which, simply, is not economically sustainable. Hence the need to review the times for achieving the objectives of the 2030 and 2050 agendas that do not they take into account and this situation demonstrates it ".
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