Jack Ma toasts wine with Italy's prime minister

Founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group Jack Ma (R) and Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (L) arrive at the Vinitaly wine exhibition in Verona, Italy, April 11 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

MILAN - The focus of Italian wine is more than ever on business and has a special consideration for China, experts said at the ongoing Vinitaly international wine fair in northern Italy.

In 2015, Italian wine exports came to more than 5.4 billion euros ($6.1 billion), up by over 5 percent compared to 2014, which set a new record, according to the fair's data.

Recent research shows that investing in the wine industry today is 160 percent more profitable than investing in the financial sector, said the President of Veronafiere, organizer of the fair, Maurizio Danese.

For certain denominations of origin, he added, the value of a hectare of vineyard has increased by more than 2,000 percent in 50 years.

"Fifty years ago, young people were leaving the countryside attracted by industry and the opportunities offered by large cities. Today, thanks to wine, many young people are returning to the land, finding professional opportunities in agriculture to build their future," Danese observed.

International attendance from the most important producer countries at Vinitaly, which runs from Sunday to Wednesday and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, continues to expand. The 2016 limelight is on Spain, with a group attendance by 18 wine cellars, while China is attending Vinitaly for the first time.