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The Future of the Made in Italy Food Sector: Supply Chain, Export, and Green Revolution

Italian Agri-food Sector: +7.5% in Exports and €75 Billion in Value in 2024. EU Leader in Quality, Sustainability, and Innovation
28/07/2025 Ricerca Divulgativa Download PDF
  • Italy ranks first in Europe for agricultural added value, with €42.4 billion, accounting for 18.2% of the EU total, and a supply chain worth €75 billion—more than fashion, furniture, and automotive combined.
  • Exports exceeded €70 billion (+7.5%), driven by 887 certified PDO, PGI, and TSG products (over 60% destined for foreign markets) and record performances such as +50% for extra virgin olive oil.
  • Organic farming covers 18.7% of agricultural land and involves over 92,000 companies, while innovation has seen €350 million in AgriFoodTech investments in 2024.
  • Emerging markets account for 20% of exports, with double-digit growth in Poland (+15.3%), Romania (+15.2%), and China (+9.7%), while the introduction of US tariffs threatens up to 140,000 jobs and a 0.8% contraction in GDP.
  • The sector accounts for just 8.7% of greenhouse gas emissions but generates 90% of ammonia emissions, with livestock farming concentrated in the North: 66% of cattle and 88% of pigs are located in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto.

Italy reaffirms its leadership in Europe for agricultural added value, reaching €42.4 billion in 2024, ahead of France and Spain, despite receiving fewer public subsidies than other major EU countries. Increasingly strategic for the Italian economy, the sector generated a total value of €75 billion, including agritourism and renewable energy, and reached €70 billion in exports (+7.5%), equal to 11% of total national exports. Driving this growth are the expansion of organic farming, involving over 92,000 companies and 18.7% of Italy’s agricultural land, record investments in AgriFoodTech (over €350 million in 2024), and 887 certified PDO, PGI, and TSG products—over 60% of which are exported—true ambassadors of Made in Italy quality around the world.

According to Valerio Mancini,  Director of the Divulgative Research Center at Rome Business School and author of the report “The Future of the Made in Italy Food Sector: Supply Chain, Export, and Green Revolution”, the record numbers of the Italian agri-food sector are a positive sign of resilience and strategic vision amid a global context marked by economic and climate uncertainty.

A Growth Engine: The Agri-Food Chain Worth More Than Fashion and Automotive

The agri-food sector remains Italy’s most important economic supply chain, valued at 2.3 times more than fashion, 4.4 times more than furniture and design, and even 4.5 times more than automotive (The European House, 2024). In 2024, the sector recorded a +3.5% increase in volume compared to the previous year, driven mainly by fruit (+5.4%), fresh vegetables (+3.8%), and wine (+3.5%).

Considering the entire extended supply chain—from primary agricultural production to agritourism and agro-energy—the total value of the sector reaches €75 billion, according to the Riparte l’Italia Observatory.

Italy is thus the EU’s top country for agricultural added value, with a share equal to 18.2% of the total estimated €233.6 billion. While ranking third in production volume (€74.6 billion), behind France (€89.4 billion) and Germany (€75.5 billion), Italy stands out for its efficiency and profitability, also due to a -4.5% reduction in intermediate costs.

Italian agriculture is also the least subsidized among the major European producers, with a ratio of public subsidies to added value at just 12.3%, compared to 24.5% in France, 21.9% in Germany, and the EU average of 21.7%.

In 2024, innovation was boosted by over €350 million from the NRRP and the Transition 4.0 Plan, encouraging widespread adoption of advanced technologies: IoT sensors for environmental monitoring and smart irrigation, blockchain for certified traceability, precision automation, and digital platforms for business management.

With over 1,600 companies specializing in the processing and preservation of fruit and vegetables, Italy confirms its European leadership in the agri-industrial sector, thanks to a solid ecosystem that integrates large groups, SMEs, startups, industrial districts, and research hubs. This system not only generates value but also acts as a driver of territorial cohesion, ecological transition, and international competitiveness.

Agri-Food Exports: A Record-Breaking 2024 for Italian Products

In 2024, Italian agri-food exports hit a new all-time high, exceeding €70 billion, up +7.5%, and making up 11% of national exports. Agri-food districts generated €28 billion, with a +7.1% increase, outperforming the average growth in manufacturing.

Italy confirms itself as one of the world’s main agribusiness players, thanks to a system that combines quality and traceability.

Key growth sectors included:

  • Sparkling wines (+10% in value)
  • Aged cheeses like Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano (+10.1%)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (+50%)
  • Pasta, baked goods, coffee, and fruit & vegetables, with the latter surpassing €10 billion in exports

The olive oil trade balance returned to surplus thanks to both volume and value increases.

According to Fondazione Edison, for 41 agricultural products Italy ranks among the EU’s top 3 producers and ranks first for 16, including artichokes, turnip tops, kiwis, and durum wheat. Key contributing regions include Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany, and Campania.

This variety fuels many success stories:

  • Tuscan olive oil +43.5% to the USA
  • Pasta and pastries from Alba +16.5%
  • Apples from South Tyrol +18.9%
  • Cured meats from Modena +5.2%
  • With peaks of +31.7% to the United States

Emerging markets accounted for 20% of total exports, with double-digit growth in Poland (+15.3%), Romania (+15.2%), and China (+9.7%).

Made in Italy agri-food continues to expand solidly, showing resilience and the ability to penetrate both mature and new strategic markets,” says Mancini.

US Tariffs: A Strategic Risk for Italian Exports

The US tariffs introduced by the Trump administration in April 2025, and only partially suspended since, have increased pressure on Italian exports, especially in sensitive sectors such as oil, wine, and dairy.

Despite continued export growth to the US in 2024 (+14.9%), these tariffs threaten to suddenly slow the momentum. According to Confindustria and Coldiretti, if tariffs are set at 10%, up to €20 billion in exports and 118,000 jobs could be lost. A potential increase to 30%, already being considered, could put around 140,000 jobs at risk.

The report stresses that the strategic response lies in market diversification: in 2024, exports to emerging economies grew by 7.7%, with strong performances in China, Poland, and Romania—confirming the urgency of strengthening new trade routes.

Ecological Transition: Italian Agri-food Moving Toward a Sustainable Model

In the past year, Italy reached 18.7% of agricultural land under organic farming, amounting to 2.3 million hectares, with over 92,000 active companies. Domestic consumption exceeded €4.1 billion, while the sector continues to improve its environmental footprint.

Agriculture accounts for only 8.7% of Italy’s greenhouse gas emissions, below the EU average, and has reduced emissions per unit of output by 7.8% (ISPRA, 2023). However, it remains the main source of ammonia emissions (90%), mostly tied to livestock farming.

Livestock is heavily concentrated in the North: 66% of cattle and 88% of pigs are found in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto, especially in the provinces of Lodi, Cremona, and Brescia. This concentration makes environmental impact particularly critical in certain areas, where the transition requires targeted interventions.

In 2024, thanks to the NRRP, more than €350 million were invested in digital and sustainable solutions. But under EU policy, the targets are ambitious: the Green Deal and Fit for 55 Plan aim to cut emissions by 55% by 2030, while the Effort Sharing Regulation assigns Italy a specific reduction target of -43.7% for agricultural emissions by the same year.

Achieving this will require a deep transformation that combines innovation, governance, and territorial rebalancing.