“Vinitaly 2024 was the mirror of the condition that Sicilian – and more generally Italian – viticulture lives in its current state. We boast undisputed excellence despite decreasing the number of Sicilian producers participating in the prestigious event. This convinces us more and more of the urgency of implementing the requests that Confcooperative Sicilia put forward at the table of the Regional Agriculture Department last week”. This was declared on his return from Verona by Alessandro Chiarelli, delegate for Agricultural Issues of Confcooperative Sicily, who together with the Confcooperative-Fedagripesca official Pino Ortolano and the President of the Cooperativa Cantine Europa, Nicolò Vinci, participated in the discussion on the agricultural crisis at Region.
The roadmap always and strongly includes the definition of some measures, including the so-called “Empty Cellars”, through which support is given to the Sicilian social wineries, which are heading towards the harvest with significant quantities of unsold red wine. State intervention is needed. “We are not for distillation,” Chiarelli points out. However, we look favorably on solutions such as the creation of a Food Bank or a Balance of Payments with cereals. The world of wine in Sicily is floundering, despite having almost infinite, unexplored potential, which can project us towards models of tourism development which, with healthy agriculture, with an orderly Sicily not devastated by flames, can only increase exponentially the number of presences, the interest of visitors towards this land”.
“Our Organization – declares Nino Accept, President of Confcooperative Fedagripesca Sicilia – does not only think about the “landscapes” to present, but about services which, thanks to a synergy, can be provided by cooperatives which, online, supply fresh products to hotels or which, with their channels, offer tourists breakfasts or lunches”.
“It must be clear that we do not have an alternative – adds the Delegate for Agricultural Issues – This sector, with its GDP, cannot be replaced with anything else. If we fail, Sicily fails.”
Confcooperative Sicilia sees positive glimmers. For example, the first “yes” registered with the Department of Agriculture, thanks to the sensitivity of its general manager Dario Cartabellotta who acted as spokesperson for the government, and opened up the possibility of drawing more easily by using a resource which otherwise is even wasted and then turns out to be deficient, a paradox that can be overcome by using the waste water of Sicilian municipalities and cities, adequately purified. This operation will allow the crisis to be addressed without abuse, in full compliance and quickly. A keystone suggested by the Confederation and which the Region would be ready to think about. “It is certainly expensive – says Chiarelli – to raise the water, but there are technologies, photovoltaic or wind, already used by the global investment funds of our island and which the public sector could draw on to definitively resolve the great difficulties of today and of the future due to of the lack of rain. “We want a pleasant and cultivated Sicily – concludes Chiarelli – not a lunar landscape, nor a deserted land”. Confcooperative Sicilia returns to decisively request a moratorium also valid on the obligations of the CAP – to be paid in full this year – at least for one year. The request is also to ensure that all replanting rights that expired in 2023 and 2024 are retained for at least three years. “We count on the intervention of the Sicilian Region, with President Renato Schifani and the entire regional council, as well as on the authoritative and enlightened figure of the General Manager Dario Cartabellotta, who knows how to interpret the needs of Sicilian agriculture”.
