Davide Bernieri
Italian Salami and cold cuts overcame health barriers and therefore can enter the United States. This is confirmed by data concerning exports for the first eight months of 2015 released by Assica. According to these data, after opening to US market at least for some made in Italy products, overseas sales showed far higher rate in comparison with the already gratifying data concerning export in general terms. However, as for both breeding and meat processing, some Italian territories still show inconceivable health gaps, for a Western Country. Therefore, perception of ‘health’ as for our meat products is penalized and our exports are hindered, especially in Countries (USA in the lead) with a strict legislation on food safety. Davide Calderone, Director of Assica, says: ‘After opening for long-cured salami and cold cuts, now this opening also concerns short-seasoned products, aged for less than 400 days, coming from Northern-Central Italy. We did a very intense work in order to prove to the US authorities in the domain of food safety that these products come from safe areas, according to the principle of regionalization introduced by the EU. This principle allows exporting even if the Country is not completely free from focuses. Unfortunately, there are still some areas that have not been freed from swine fever and vesicular disease. For these areas, export ban is still in force. I believe that in 2015 it is not acceptable any longer to have this situation, which limits our potential for movement in foreign markets. Holland and Denmark, for example, were declared free and can export their products in unified way, as a Country. As for Italy, it is always necessary to do some distinctions, but, for example, this situation does not allow us to export to South Korea, with estimated damage by 250 million Euros each year’. And so, ‘Italian sounding’ palms off worldwide fake Italian sausages to unsuspecting consumers, also because of carelessness showed by a part of our manufacturing sector.
