Florence, 14 July (LaPresse) – "Faced with the possibility of tariffs of up to 30% on Italian agri-food products, including wine, a concrete and forward-looking response is needed. There is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves: this should be seen as an opportunity to accelerate a new export strategy that focuses on alternative and more stable markets." This was stated by Giovanni Busi, president of the Chianti DOCG Wine Consortium, in response to US President Donald Trump's letter on tariffs that are set to come into force on 1 August and the European Union's willingness to start negotiations. ‘We appreciate the European Union's willingness to open negotiations with the United States, a key market for Italian wine, without triggering a war of tariffs and counter-tariffs,’ explains Busi, ‘but we cannot continue to chase announcements from across the Atlantic that change every day. We need a broader and more structured vision.’ ‘South America, Asia and Africa are now key routes for the future of Italian wine,’ continued Busi, "and the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur can become a real lever for the development of our sector. Markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay offer great growth potential for a wine such as Chianti, a symbol of Italian tradition, quality and territory. We are also seeing positive signs in Asia, with growing demand in countries such as China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand: we need to be present in a structured way, with targeted promotion and distribution.‘ According to the president of the Chianti Wine Consortium, ’Africa and India should not be overlooked, as these are areas where wine consumption is beginning to spread and where we can position ourselves with high-quality products and a strong cultural identity." ‘While it is important to avoid a standoff with the US,’ concludes Busi, ‘it is also our job to build new opportunities. Italian wine exports need diversified markets and a solid European strategy capable of supporting businesses in a changing world.’