It is Italy's second most exported fruit and vegetable product, but now table grapes grown in central and southern Italy are aiming for the top spot, overtaking apples from Trentino. So far, goods have traveled to the North only by road, still managing to export 46 percent of production worth a whopping 738 million euros (135 million euros less than apples). Germany with 31 percent and France with 18 percent are the two largest importers. Italy is the world's third largest exporter after Peru (with an 18 percent share of the total) and Chile (14 percent). It shares, incredibly, the third position (8% each) with the Netherlands, which does not produce a single kilo of grapes, but is able to buy elsewhere and then resell. However, Italy has huge margins for development, considering that exports are concentrated in Europe and only 1.5 percent go beyond the EU. According to the Ismea institute, in 5 years Italian export turnover could reach 1.2 billion euros, aiming for a 30 percent increase in prices and a 20 percent increase in volumes. A boost will certainly come from the refrigerated flights that will leave from Grottaglie airport (connected to the Taranto port logistics platform) from September. They will be operated by Poste Air Cargo (of the Poste Italiane group) to Dubai, Istanbul, Tel Aviv. Then it will be up to Lufthansa to reach more distant destinations in the 24 hours. The first takeoff will bring 13 tons of grapes to Dubai.
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