Verona 14 April 2026. “This is the most extraordinary showcase of one of the most astonishing expressions of Made in Italy. A sector that continues to generate enormous satisfaction, with annual turnover of 14 billion euros, and one, given the very complex and highly scrutinized overall situation, that must be supported.” So said Prime Minister Georgia Meloni today during an official visit on the third day of the 58th Vinitaly, open at Veronafiere until tomorrow. “Our latest decree, which renewed the 25 cent discount on diesel excise duties," the Prime Minister went on during her third official visit to the event following trips in 2023 and 2024, "also extended a measure to the agricultural sector allowing producers to receive a tax credit equal to the higher costs they sustain. We have also effectively imposed a ban on increasing the cost of agricultural diesel. We are making every effort to give answers to a sector that deserves thanks for its ability to stay on the market and continue to react despite all the difficulties. Obviously, the international situation demands constant work to advance peace negotiations. We must make every effort to stabilize the situation and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is essential for us not only in terms of fuel but also fertilizers, another key aspect for the sector we are talking about today. For this reason," Georgia Meloni went on, " I look forward to a resilient Vinitaly and a world that recognizes its value notwithstanding deep concerns. I understand that. Yet I also look forward to a world that is fully aware that the extraordinary nature of what this sector represents is stronger than all the difficulties we have to face. I am here to convey the message that the Government acknowledges the strength, value, and commitment of the wine sector and is working alongside it with all the tools at our disposal.”
Prime Minister Meloni was welcomed by Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Gianmarco Mazzi, Minister of Tourism, Alberto Stefani, President of the Veneto Region, Damiano Tommasi, Mayor of Verona, Flavio Massimo Pasini, President of the Province of Verona, and Matteo Zoppas, President of ITA-Italian Trade Agency.