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DEC. JAN. 2018
V
By Anna Muzio
Tomatoes in the Po Valley, vines
and olive trees on the Alps and
avocados in Sicily: the most obvious
consequences of climate change on
agriculture. The Aestas Horribilis
2017 – with the temperature in July
up by 1.2 degrees compared to the
average and a drop in precipitation
of 42% - has caused over 2 billion
euros of damage to agriculture and
the halving of the production of
honey, the “loss” of one bottle in four
of wine and a 23% reduction in the
apple crop. This is only the tip of
the iceberg of a situation that is now
denied by only a few; that of global
warming.” The Italian agricultural
system is under pressure – the food
safety manager of Coldiretti Rolando
Manfredi begins -. The increase in
temperature has led to the shift of the
suitability of cultures to the north,
while in the south the production
and land are reduced and tropical
species have arrived. In 100 years
we may have PDO bananas from
Catania. At risk, however, is our
system of territorial products, as well
as the maturing of cured meats that
require temperature and humidity
conditions that cannot be artificially
recreated.” Production, however, is
threatened mainly by extreme events:
icing, drought and precipitation of
exceptional intensity which causes
flooding.
Then there is the question of prices,
increases on fruit and vegetables
(in October Istat reported + 12.1%
for vegetables and + 4.7% for fruit).
“Beware of speculation though. If
in doubt, we can refer to the price
observatory of the Ministry of
Economic Development.”
Will restaurant menus change in
the coming years? “Yes but not only
because of climate change; changing
needs, increasing vegetarianism, and
the introduction of new culinary
cultures. It must be said that Italian
taste has deep roots, it will be a slow
process.”
SEASONALITY FIRST OF ALL
“Now our work can not disregard
environmental issues, we work
with natural products linked to the
climate in traditional agriculture such
as that in Italy - says Pier Giorgio
Parini, chef from Romagna belonging
to the Chic Charming Italian Chef
association, created precisely to bring
the themes of sustainability to the
kitchen -. The excellences exist and
must be preserved because they are
part of our history, but in the future
I see an intensive agriculture, from
the greenhouse, like that of the
Netherlands, which assures a product
of average but consistent quality
and with a price not subject to the
climate.”
Groceries and menus are important
weapons to manage shortages
and price increases that will be
increasingly frequent: “I always buy
in number, not by weight. I prefer
to buy groceries as frequently as
needed, to avoid having to throw away
unused ingredients and to always
have a fresh product.” The seasonable
menu then is indispensable, for both
economic and taste reasons, “to rotate
without automation but according to
availability of the ingredient: when
this ends, it changes. Even every day.
Is it just a matter of organisation” How
are health issues dealt with? “I believe
more in people than in brands, there
are big companies that work well and
produce quality on a large scale but I
prefer to see the origin of the products
I use.”
RECOGNISING QUALITY
Among the products most affected by
the drought this year are truffles, and
prices have skyrocketed, as confirmed
by Luca Mauri of Tartufi&Friends
in Milan, one of the five restaurants
of the format that proposes all year
round this precious tuber matched
with Italian food excellences: “The
price is very high and the quality
does not excel. But we can’t put
these increases onto customers, so the
margins decrease. Also other widely
used products such as butter and oil
have increased. But the important
thing is to ensure quality.”
How to select the safest ingredients?
“The choice is part of our
professionalism, I must know where
a certain product comes from and
how it was grown. There are many
new operators throughout Italy, small
producers who are experimenting
with ancient grains or saffron even in
non-traditional areas. When you can,
it’s better to look for local produce.”
REDUCE WASTE (AND COSTS)
If
the margins are already decreasing, it’s
crucial to optimise costs. For example,
avoiding wasting ingredients that
could become increasingly valuable in
the future.
Climate change in short is now an
obvious reality, and they head towards
a more sustainable approach in the
kitchen. Not only for the future of the
planet, but also for the restaurant’s
balance sheet.
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BOX
BETWEEN YIELDS, DISEASES,
MOVEMENTS OF PRODUCTION,
NATURE SUFFERS THE HEAT
Here are the main consequences of
BLACK AUTUMN FOR MADE IN ITALY
PRODUCTION
DROP
Olive oil
320 million kilos
-11%
Wine
40 million HL
– 26%
Apples
1.76 billion kilos
– 23%
Honey
10 million kilos
– 50%
Truffles and mushrooms
at an historical minimum
Data source provider: Elaborazioni Coldiretti