From our producers

As we all know the coronavirus situation in Italy is bad, very bad, possibly worse than what we are made to believe, and we know how bad it is first hand, mine and our families are there, in quarantine, with the rest of the country. We are very worried about them, it doesn’t look like the end is nowhere near and every day, every time we call home, we take a deep breath until we are told that, at least for another day, everything is fine. I could say that I believe that the responsibility of the situation lies with the inadequate government, the inept politicians, but this is not why I am writing this post.

This post is about our suppliers/producers/friends, the people behind our products, the people behind the products we all love, these are small producers, artisans, farmers, winemakers. They are the people that, with or without the coronavirus, have no choice but to go to work, the show must go on, nature doesn’t understand or wait for the virus to disappear, if they don’t, next year they will be out of business and unable to provide food for their family.

Now, more than ever, not only our suppliers are still doing what needs to be done, but are working harder and longer, with their wives or husbands and children’s as their only help, there is no other help available, all seasonal and part-time workers have run away, whether they went back to their country of birth, agriculture in Italy relies heavily on extra-national workers, or with their families. The only positive note is, where they are, they are often isolated and therefore protected from the virus.

I have spoken to all of them, from north to south, more than once, they are friends, I have known them for several years, some almost 20 years, I have asked how they are, how they are copying with the situation, if them or their family have been affected by the coronavirus and luckily, none of them has, but it is not over yet. They asked me how we are doing here, they are scared, one of them said to me only yesterday that too many people are dying in his village, young and old, he begged me to stay home, to stay safe.

But they are also worried because of the consequences that the virus is having on their livelihood, their ability to earn money not only to continue doing what they do, but provide for their families. They are now becoming desperate, they are blaming the press for being a scaremonger, for telling the world that Italy is closed for business, they tell me that because of the image currently painted of Italy, they had ordered cancelled, postponed, their cellars and warehouses are full, and they need to sell, they need to empty their cellars and warehouses, they need to make space for the next vintage or production, they need help in this difficult time, they need us and they need us now, they are not multinationals, they are small, independent producers and wineries.

They are asking the British public to still believe in their products and purchase them, they are still open for business, Italy is open for business and Italyabroad.com is the proof. Lets help Italian small and independent producers.