From 2014 to 2023 Italy’s agri-food export increased by 48%: the highest percentage among the G7 countries, according to the data recently released by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The latest forecasts of SACE, the company that supports the business internationalization, indicate that total exports of goods from Italy could rise to 652 billion euros at the end of 2024, thanks to the resumption of international trade estimated at just under 2%.

SACE estimates that exports will continue to grow, improving the record level of 64 billion euros reached in 2023 (+5.7% over the previous year). Reduced to 6 billion the gap with Spain, also the export of food industries has reached in 2023 the historical maximum of 52 billion. Within ten years, it has practically doubled. In 2023, cheese exports increased by almost 6% over the previous year, while exports of fresh fruit and vegetables increased in value by more than 9%. Regarding pasta, foreign sales are now more relevant than the domestic market.

Slightly in contrast to the general trend is the wine export, which loses about 4% in volume in the Italian market and 7% in value in the five main markets (worth about 56% of the total) compared to 2023. This phenomenon is common in all wine producing countries; a solution will be to open new markets and focus more on promotion.

The exceptional increase in inflation seems to be behind us and the European Central Bank could start the phase of reducing interest rates. However, on the international scene a condition of great uncertainty continues to prevail. The future is difficult to interpret. In this context, closer cooperation and a shared vision between the agri-food sector chains would be needed to increase overall added value and competitiveness on international markets. In this direction the establishment of “Mediterranea”, decided by Confagricoltura and Unione Italiana Food (UIF), brings closer and closer – in terms of efficiency and innovation – the links of the food chain: from the field to the finished product.

Source: Wine News