2004 Export figures strong in foreign markets
31.03.2005
Parma, 31 March 2005. - The Parma Ham Consortium has published its overall export results for 2004. During 2004, the Consortium branded 9,383,000 Hams: 224,000 more hams (+2.4%) than in 2003. The Italian market absorbs 83% of production, the remaining 17% being exported. Overall, 2004 has been a positive year for Parma exports having registered an unprecedented record for foreign sales thanks to an increase of 1% compared to 2003 with approximately 1,640,000 hams being exported. The European Union once again confirms itself as the main market outlet, representing around 68% (+1.1% compared to 2003) of total exports, with France (426,000 hams), Germany (294,000 hams) and Great Britain (184,000 hams) clearly market leaders. Other Non-EU countries mainly Switzerland and Norway are showing good progress, accounting for 6.3% of Prosciutto di Parma exports (+9.6% compared to 2003). Regarding countries outside of Europe, it has been a year for stability. Despite a strong Euro and the difficult economic conditions of some markets, Parma has resisted well, recording a downturn in the American market (-6%) but showing an increase in other important markets such as Canada (+48.7%) and Japan (+3.6%). Concerning pre-packed, sliced Parma however, a real boom (+18%) has been experienced both in Italy (7 million packets sold equaling 754,000 kg) as well as abroad (20 million packets sold equaling 2,000,000 kg). Today, the pre-sliced market represents more than 20% of export; a significant figure if we consider that only five years ago this number was around 10% and since then sales volume has more than doubled. These are important results for the Parma Ham Consortium, which presently finds itself in a transitional phase that is crucial to the sector's future. The Parma Ham Consortium has recently amended its statute in line with the legislative prescriptions that apply to Italian Law 526/99 (in order to guarantee equal representation among the categories of producers and processors that are involved in the production of Prosciutto di Parma within the Consortium's corporate bodies). Next month the companies that head up the Consortium will vote to elect new company officers based on the new statutory provisions. "2004 has been a positive year for Parma Ham exports - confirmed Stefano Fanti, director of the Consortium. "Despite difficulties within the Italian Market - caused by a general fall in food consummation - we closed 2004 with a positive result. With more than 1 million, 600 hams exported in more than 60 countries, Parma confirms itself as one of the most sought-after Italian products abroad. For further information:
Fabrizio Raimondi
Press Office
Tel. 0521.243987 - Cell. 335.389848
e-mail: ufficiostampa@prosciuttodiparma.com
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