Organic farming: Italy leads Europe

ORGANIC FARMING IN ITALY

Organic farming saved and revitalized Italian agriculture. Squeezed by competition from Mediterranean countries like Tunisia and Greece, with production costs, especially labor, much lower than ours, Italian farmers seemed doomed to rapid and unstoppable decline . In just 15 years, 600,000 small farms disappeared in Italy . Then, thanks to the organic boom and the resilience of our farmers, things changed. All-round.

ITALY RANKS FIRST IN ORGANIC FARMING

According to Eurostat data, in 2024, Italy will have 2,3 million hectares of organically farmed land. This represents the highest concentration in Europe, accounting for 19 percent of total cultivated land , compared to an EU average of just 10 percent. In six Italian regions (Marche, Lazio, Tuscany, Sicily, Calabria, and Basilicata), organically farmed land exceeds 25 percent of the total, and in Sicily this percentage rises to 30 percent. More than 68 agricultural businesses produce exclusively organic products.

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ITALY'S RECORD IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

The commitment to organic farming has allowed Italy to achieve significant leadership, protecting it from the risk of competition , thanks in part to the quality of Made in Italy products. Italy leads the European Union in horticultural and permanent crops: its turnover is €29,4 billion, compared to €27 billion for France and €26,6 billion for Spain. This leadership extends across all four major sectors of this agricultural sector: horticultural and vegetable production, fruit, wine, and olive oil . These four sectors form the backbone of the Mediterranean diet.

LAND CULTIVATED WITH ORGANIC FARMING IN ITALY

In particular, among the land cultivated using organic farming techniques, more than one million acres are dedicated to cereals, olive trees, and vines . All are examples of Made in Italy excellence. Organic farming is increasingly proving to be a vital and lifeline for Made in Italy products and a sign of improving our lifestyles. It's no coincidence that 60 percent of Italian families have purchased organic products at least once during the year.

ORGANIC GROWING: ADVANTAGES

This is how organic farming is reversing the Great Recession, transforming it into a new opportunity , as we have always argued on the Non sprecare website. First: agriculture is being revitalized, not allowed to die. Second: the revitalization takes place in the right segment of the market, where we can be unbeatable, defending the true and authentic quality of Made in Italy, from fruit to vegetables, to the entire agricultural and agri-food supply chain. Third: it creates enormous job opportunities, especially for young people , women, and those most disadvantaged in the labor market. Fourth: it is accompanied, along with production and the market, by a leap forward for an economy characterized by true sustainability, which is no longer a niche of environmentalist thought, but becomes a vital driver of economic growth and new lifestyles, in which well-being improves, pollution decreases, and the quality of life rises. For everyone.

THE RIGHT RECIPES FOR THOSE WHO LOVE ORGANIC PRODUCTS:

• Fruit and Vegetable Juices: Nutritious and Healthy Recipes with Spring Products
• Puntarelle Salad: A Fresh and Authentic Recipe with Chicory Sprouts
• Radish Salad with Beetroot and Oranges: A Colorful, Nutritious, and Healthy Recipe
• Chickpea salad, a nutritious and healthy one-pot meal recipe, perfect for office lunches.