Italian government to throw cash at the coronavirus problem

Author: Ron van der Ploeg

ROME, Italy: In two Italian newspapers, ItaliaOggi and Linkiesta, Italy’s Foreign Minister, Luigi de Maio, announced on March 3 that the Italian government is ready to inject €716 million into the economy to help sectors promote their products Made in Italy and develop export markets. ANVE, Italy’s National Association of Nursery Stock Exporters is in contact with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform its members how to apply for the different types of funding and financial compensation for losses incurred due to the Coronavirus.  

The proposed aid package includes not only tax cuts, tax credits but also compensation for companies which were unable to participate in trade shows due to the corona virus. The news comes one week after Milan’s trade fair for ornamental horticulture MyPlant&Garden was forced to move its event to September 21-23.

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) is willing to cover 100% of the incurred costs, and additionally the Agency offers companies the possibility to participate in ITA initiatives free of cost. Until March 2021, companies with up to 100 employees can also make free use of ITA’s services offered by their offices around the world.

For the occasion, ANVE’s Secretary Eduordo Sciutti told FCI that customers from abroad currently ask ANVE members to provide coronavirus-free plants and trees. “It needs no further explanation that such requests are completely ‘assurdo’. Naturally our growers are unable to produce such documents,” Sciutti says.