In 2022 Italian agri-food exports in the world it could reach 60 billion euros: a new historic record. The latest Istat data available were analyzed by Coldiretti, who commented on them expressing confidence in the current trend. In fact, the export surplus should maintain the current level of quality deriving from certified and sustainable productions until the end of the year. The optimism is clouded by the continuation of the war in Ukraine, which is driving up the costs of the agricultural sector at the origin, starting with that of energy. Farmers highlight an overall leap of 20,6%, despite the war and international tensions over world trade. Made in Italy is doing very well in Germany, which remains the main outlet market with about 15% more. Then there are the United States and France.
The agri-food sector needs new infrastructures
The products travel by any means, but the opportunity offered by European aid linked to the PNRR could further increase foreign turnover. The President of Coldiretti Ettore Prandini focuses precisely on this: “To support the growth trend of national food and wine, it is necessary to act on Italy's structural delays and unlock all the infrastructures that would improve connections between the south and north of the country, but also with the rest of the world". Italy can export by sea and high-speed rail with a network of hubs made up of airports, trains and cargo. Works especially needed in the southern regions, which are slowly adapting to the most advanced green farming techniques. However, despite Brexit, things are going quite well in the United Kingdom too, with +22,6%. The negative numbers are those of China, where there is a drop of 26,9%, and Russia, with -17%. In other words, Italy is the European country that boasts the best agri-food activities and is making efforts to homogenize the supply chains, in particular for environmental sustainability, the fight against pesticides and the excellence of the territories.
The future is in European agricultural policy
To drive the Made in Italy in the world there are basic products such as wine, which leads the ranking of the most exported products, followed by fresh fruit and vegetables. The new government will certainly have to look at the sector with non-dispersive policies, also because it is now there European agricultural policy to select the winning products. The 40 billion euros expected from Italy will have to find ready projects and businesses. Nor should we overlook the global geopolitical aspects, because outside Europe the agricultural game continues to be fought without saving. Ironically, Italy could find itself representing only a small link in a very long chain and in defiance of the efforts of recent years for sustainability, the search for excellence and aggregations between producers. From this point of view, Coldiretti in a note says it is important work on internationalization to support companies that "want to conquer new markets and strengthen consolidated ones, enhancing the strategic role of ICE with the support also of the embassies". An assist to the government to come.
