This year's early and wine wine harvest is only the latest effect of global warming in Italy, the Italian Coldiretti farmers' union said on Tuesday.
Italy this year had the earliest harvest of wine grapes in 30 years, due to the hottest summer in over 250 years, and production was down by over 10%.
In a statement released ahead of the two-day National Climate conference in Rome, Wednesday and Thursday, Coldiretti said that "typical and traditional Italian food products - the result of the country's unique combination of soil, climate and environment - are at risk unless adequate action is taken soon".
Higher temperatures and reduce rainfall, Coldiretti observed, "has already lead to a shift in the areas where traditional crops are grown. Olives are now being harvest at the foot of the alps, while sorghum is being being grown near the Swiss border and peanuts are being harvest in the Po River valley, along with tomatoes and durum wheat".
Shifting growing areas are not the only the only effects of global warming, Coldiretti added, "conditions for curing meats, aging cheese and wine have also changed".
Climate change and diminishing water resources, Coldiretti said, "are the greatest challenge facing farmers today. They will demand maintenance on water infrastructures, the management water resources and the recovery and recycling water of used water".
Farmers must also learn to save water, adopt new irrigation methods and grow crops which need less water, the union added.
