THE MEDITERRANEAN FREE MARKET ZONE

This year’s edition of Sana re-opens the discussion around the themes of free trade amongst the countries of the Mediterranean basin, expected to happen in 2011. The removal of quota and duties will facilitate the speedy exchange of goods and services creating interesting new opportunities, and will focus attention on the resolution of any existing obstacles to trade. All this will be addressed in the conference set to take place on Friday 10th whilst a delegation of buyers originating from countries in the new trade area will be at work for the four day exhibition period. In addition thanks to the renewed agreement in force between the Ministry for Economic Development, FederBio and ICE regarding support for the internationalization of Italian Organic products, attendance at Sana by buyers from the USA and South America is on the cards.

B2B MEETING

Given its success at the previous edition of Sana, Sana, FederBIO & ICE will once again be organizing the B2B meetings with foreign buyers. Importers and distributers from the USA, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Ruissia, Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Saudia Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Libya, the Lebanon and Morocco will be guests at the Exhibition, and all of them will be interested in establishing contacts with Italian Organic producers. This opportunity, free of charge, is limited to exhibiting companies only, allowing them to meet with buyers in a suitably equipped environment with the presence of interpreters. To use the time available to maximum effect the meetings’ schedule will be organised by ICE and the foreign buyers. To participate download the questionnaire form at www.federbio.it, complete it according to the instructions and send in by the 30 ^th June.

INFORMATION AND QUALITY AT THE HEART OF HEALTH & WELLBEING

The main players in the new wellbeing in the big window that is “Health and Wellbeing” at Sana are the herbal plants: natural remedies, supplements and beauty products are becoming increasingly popular. It is a growth market which is self-regualting and putting quality at the centre of its activities. Seminars and workshops will be working to address some of the critical questions, such as, the cost of the lack of quality in the herbalist’s supply chain, plant remedies in animal farming, the market for natural and organic cosmetics, the regulation of the use of herbal plants, the changing professional profile of the herbalist in Europe.

HUGE SUCCESS IN BRAZIL FOR ORGANICS MADE IN ITALY

Huge success at Bio Brazil for the organic products made in Italy. ICE, Buonitalia and FederBio organized B2B meetings with the Brazilian Trade members, a workshop where the Italian Organic setup was presented providing information on the distribution network, the organic made in italy products, tastings and product evaluations, plus market anaysis of Brazil and its potential. Italian companies closed new deals with Brazilian firms, and made agreements with the aim of getting both commerical and promotional activities off the ground.

ORGANIC: THE REVOLUTION BORN FROM THE PRINTED WORD

In 1963 Rachel Carson, an American zoologist, pubished Silent Spring, a critical analysis of the disastrous impact of the use of chemical products on the environment. The eco-conscience and the attention paid to healthy and natural food which characterize our times owe much to this book and the debate it provoked. In 1977 the American sociologist Ronald Inglehart in his book The Silent revolution stated that towards the middle of the seventies people’s core values changed all over the world: less concern with material wellbeing with having it all at any cost. Instead, more concern about health, wellbeing and looking after one’s body and soul.
The huge success that organic products and holistic medicine are having now is due largely to these slow and silent revolutions. And the thread linking all these aspects together is the surprisingly effective use of information and communication. We are not talking simply about good publicity or clever marketing, but rather the emergence of the phenomenon that communications experts call opinion building, ie. the building block-by-block of a public opinion oriented towards certain values and behaviour.
In the case of “Organic” research and analysis show how the silent party of consumers have contributed, turning what was avant-garde niche consumption into widespread common behaviour. And the evidence provided by the most recent market data highlight how these choices are the most hard-wearing, even in times of crisis.

ITALIAN FOOD IS GOOF FOOD: THE MYTH

This “classic” published in 2006 quickly sold out and is now available again in a new and updated version with the preface by Carlo Petrini of SlowFood. It presents the results of a journalist’s investigation undertaken by Paolo C. Conti over a period of 2 years about the real nature of the food which ends up on our plates. It shows us that what we eat is rarely what it seems. The technology employed, the logic of maximising profit, and the rules of the market our having a prfound effect on the Italian food industry, which is evermore leaning towards masking the true nature of its products behind a veneer of “naturalism”. What is taking place today is a worldwide war between technofood and organic food: two opposing worlds and antagonists when considering food and health. It’s still uncertain how this war will pan out, but it’s certain that consumers will pay a decisive role. Paolo C. Conti, Italian food is goof food: the myth (and other contemporary food myths), Fazi Editore, Roma, €15,00.