Palermo for the export of sicilian products in Japan

A milestone of great importance for the city of Palermo was reached Tuesday, July 17 at Villa Niscemi, where a pact was signed for the export of Sicilian products in Japan.

The agreement was completed by the producers of the “food and beverage” excellences of Made in Italy and Made in Sicily with the Italy on the Table consortium and its coordinator Mario Stancampiano, by the Mayor Orlando, the president of Confcommercio Palermo Patrizia Di Dio and Junya Honda, business development senior General manager of Monte Bussan, present the Italian ambassador in Japan Giorgio Starace.

Japan is the third largest economy in the world, after the United States and China with a GDP of over $ 5 trillion and a market with the potential of tens of millions of middle class buyers willing to buy “made in Italy”, agri- excellent food, goldsmith and jewelry, therefore a huge market extremely attractive for Sicilian producers.

The free trade agreement that provides for the reduction of duties by the European Union (for 99% of goods) and Japan (for 94%) was signed 3 days ago and represents an important step for the European and Japanese economies.

Ambassador Starace recalled that in Tokyo from 21 to 23 September there will be a  world tourism fair and invites tour operators and operators of Sicily to seize this great opportunity and in fact in this regard has addressed this invitation to the President of the Region Nello Musumeci. Outbound tourism is widespread in Japan, and Sicily can be very attractive.

Starace also recalled the March 2019 appointment with the Tokyo agro-food fair, where Italy will be present with a 2,000 square meter pavilion. within which, therefore, the Sicilian Region can obtain its own exhibition space.

But in the economy are the numbers that count. Starace has released some essential data: in the first four months of 2018 Italy has seen its exports increase, reaching 3 billion and 320 million euro with an increase of 24.3%, i.e. Italy is now second only to Germany. In addition, the Italian companies that export to Japan are 14,921 and activate 88,806 jobs.

“The presence today in Palermo of the Italian ambassador in Japan – says the mayor of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando – is the confirmation of the renewed international appeal of our city and the ability to be the meeting place between institutions and individuals interests“.

“Japan and the Eastern market are a great opportunity for our Sicilian and Palermo entrepreneurs – said Patrizia Di Dio, president of Confcommercio Palermo -. Sicily suffer for infrastructure and economic backwardness but it is a land of great perspective and a wonderful land of beauty and industriousness. This year Palermo is the capital of culture but we have the ambition to make Palermo the capital of Sicilian exports to Japan, for this we thank the ambassador Starace that on this important day in which the progressive abolition of duties between the Europen Union and Japan was signed“.

For Mario Stancampiano: “The possibilities are immense, really many because the fact that the tariffs are cut down will give an opportunity, an even greater impetus to that which is Italian exports to Japan”.

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