Following the Coldiretti blitz in the ports of Salerno and Bari, Anicav wanted to clarify some aspects on imports and the final products that arrive on the shelves and tables of Italians.
The Anicav statement
"We understand the logic that drives Coldiretti, but it would be appropriate to clarify to consumers that the Chinese concentrate does not end up on their tables. Italy is the leading producer and exporter of tomato products intended directly for final consumption. Concentrates, peeled tomatoes, purees, pulps and cherry tomatoes that we find on supermarket shelves are obtained from 100% high quality Italian tomato, as also indicated on the label, which must be processed within 24 hours of harvesting, processing times that are incompatible with those that would be necessary to import the raw material from other countries.
Whether we are talking about Chinese tomatoes or other European countries for peeled tomatoes, pulp, puree and cherry tomatoes, it is absurd. From the concentrate, whether imported or produced in Italy, which has a liquid characteristic, you cannot obtain solid products, such as peeled tomatoes or pulp: it would be like trying to obtain thirty or more bunches of grapes from a bottle of wine.
It is emblematic that both when imports of concentrate were double the current ones and when they were half, the hectares cultivated in Italy with industrial tomatoes were always around 70.000. Concentrate imports do not, therefore, represent a particularly significant problem for our agricultural system. because competition occurs on different levels. In fact, it is preferable to allocate Italian raw materials to higher quality and more profitable productions, considering that the price that our companies pay to farmers for tomatoes is the highest in the world and can reach up to €200/ton while in other processing countries it is less than half.
The imports of concentrate arriving in the port of Salerno mostly occur under a temporary import regime, whereby the concentrate enters Italy and is then re-exported to non-EU countries, leaving in Italy only the added value generated in terms of employment and margins.
The real battle for the supply chain, which we could win together with Coldiretti and all those who can support us, is linked to the application in the community territory of the principle of reciprocity for concentrate coming from non-EU countries that do not apply the same ethical, social and environmental standards as us – and which for this reason create unfair competition for our companies – destined to be used as a semi-finished product by European secondary processing companies in the preparation of other products (e.g. base for frozen pizzas or ready-made sauces).
Everyone must have and respect the same rules. This is what we are insistently asking of the European institutions to protect our production system, overcoming demagogic positions that are misleading and damaging to the reputation of an industry and a product, the tomato, which for centuries has been the standard-bearer of Made in Italy in the world.”
