Cooperazione, coordinamento, opportunismo. La filiera del Moscato d'Asti

This paper is focused on the regulation and distribution of value along the agri-food chain of the Moscato grapes in Piedmont region, where two among the most important Italian Docg (Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin) wines (in terms of exports) are produced. On the one hand, the Docg certification guarantees the territorial rootedness of this agri-food chain, delimiting the production and transformation of the Moscato grape in a specific area. On the other hand, as a strategic instrument for quality certification at a commercial level, it contributes to expose this area to the influence of external actors. This article contends that the action of some global players in the beverage sector – oriented towards industrialized production and large-scale retail trade – has induced a reconfiguration of the relationships among different actors involved in this agri-food chain and a redefinition of their economic bargaining practices. These processes resulted in a more unequal distribution of the value compared to the past. The article explores in particular the agreements defining the purchase of grapes between farmers and processors, highlighting the progressive transition from the cooperation between local actors to the need of a coordination, which is brokered by opportunist actors.