Qualitaly_114

DEC. JAN. 2020 XIII There are also economic advantages because seasonal products are cheaper, because transport and storage costs are reduced. But also from an environmental point of view there are great benefits: buying seasonal products means reducing pollutants released into the atmosphere by means of transport, waste to be disposed of; just think of the panes of greenhouses that need to be changed periodically and excessive heating used to allow the rapid maturation of non-seasonal products. We therefore do good for the region by strengthening the concept of local product purchase that favours small local businesses. We will have the certainty of having Made in Italy products on our tables: in this way we will contribute in our own small way to strengthening our economy with the awareness that Italy has all the credentials to be a great country that knows how to offer ingredients of the highest quality. AT PAGE 44 IN THE PANTRY Parmigiano Reggiano, special observation! Shortly after the start of tariffs, the Made in Italy food industry already reports a decline on the U.S. tables of restaurants and private individuals. There are many Italian excellences which are ‘victims’ of it. Like Parmigiano Reggiano, forced to battle on two fronts: that of rising prices and the historical campaign against Parmesan By Maddalena Baldini We are faced with another issue that is both troubling and worrying about one of the most beloved Made in Italy excellences: Parmigiano Reggiano. An ancient history for a product that is always in fashion, today under the spotlight of the market and international logic, that of the notorious tariffs imposed by the USA and by President Trump, active since mid-October last year. Why should we “tax” such a sought- after, loved and widely sold cheese, causing “damage” not only to the Italian economy but, it seems, also to the American one? Let’s go by order. According to a quick summary estimated by Coldiretti - starting from the now well-known diatribe on Airbus- Boeing that will cost Europe 7.5 billion euros - we speak of a 20% drop in the entire production of Italian food (the duties are applied not only to Parmigiano Reggiano but also to other products such as Grana Padano, Asiago and Gorgonzola but also to meats and mortadella, citrus fruits, juices and liquors such as limoncello and bitters). The damage that will affect the export of all these goods will be about half a billion euros, with a consequent rise in consumer prices and a worrying reduction in purchases by restaurants and U.S. citizens. The duty for Parmigiano Reggiano has risen - according to Coldiretti’s data - from $2.15 per kg to about $6 per kg. The result? Well, the American buyer will buy it on the shelves at a price jumped from the previous $40 per kg to about $48-50 dollars per kg, with an inevitable slowdown in consumption. DAMAGE TO CATERING IN THE USA “Today, Parmigiano Reggiano produces almost 4 million cheeses a year: about 150 thousand tons of product. Currently the USA is the second country for the foreign market - says the president of the Consortium Nicola Bertinelli - with about 10 thousand tons per year, in short 8% of the entire production. Parmesan cheese arrives in the United States mainly in forms (about 85%), an important fact because it is further processed by American industry, transforming it into grated, bite-sized and portioned ... entering various companies and creating an added value for the American economy. An important and significant volume of business which has an end-user value of about $400 million, with $200 million that remain in the pockets of American operators. “Before October 18, duties on Parmesan cheese were 15% of the value of the product - explains the president - the business increased by 25%... so a net 40% total. Certainly, and this has always been proven, the increase in prices reduces consumption. It is not easy to establish with precision how much it will fall but, in favour of the purchase of some products, there is an important element to highlight: those who buy Parmigiano Reggiano in the U.S. know exactly what it is, recognizing the quality, unlike those who buy counterfeit Parmesan, unfortunately 2/3 of the population. “What will decrease in the immediate future, however, will be the entire catering sector - continues Bertinelli – just think of the many bars, restaurants and trattorias in the U.S. run by Italians who know full well the value and quality of real Parmigiano Reggiano compared to