Italian agri-food districts have maintained their upward trajectory in the first quarter of 2024, continuing the momentum of 2023. After posting a 4.5% rise in foreign markets last year, exports hit nearly €7.1 billion in the first quarter of 2024, a 6.6% increase year-on-year, according to a report from Intesa Sanpaolo’s research department.
WINE DISTRICTS: MIXED RESULTS
Italy’s wine districts saw a modest 2.4% growth in Q1 2024, surpassing €1.5 billion in exports after a slight dip in 2023. Standout performers included the Verona Wines district, which posted robust double-digit growth (+11.6%), and the Wines of the Florentine and Sienese Hills (+7.4%). Meanwhile, Prosecco from Conegliano-Valdobbiadene remained steady, slightly increasing by 0.4%. However, the largest district by export value, Wines of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, slipped by 2%.
PASTA AND SWEETS MAINTAIN MOMENTUM
The pasta and sweets sector continued its growth, rising 4.4% in Q1 2024 following a 4.8% gain in 2023. Leading the charge was the Sweets of Alba and Cuneo district, which added nearly €75 million in exports (+18.9%). Verona’s sweets and pasta sectors also recorded double-digit growth (+16.4%). In contrast, Campania’s pasta and sweets districts struggled, with Naples’ food sector down 33.2% and Avellino’s falling 22.6%.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS SEE MODEST GAINS
Agricultural exports rose slightly by 0.6%, with Romagna’s fruit and vegetable sector remaining flat (-0.2%) due to adverse weather conditions, including droughts, and floods. However, South Tyrol’s apple sector surged by 16.9%, and Western Liguria’s floriculture district posted a solid 10.7% increase. The Piedmont hazelnut and fruit sector, however, dropped -17.8%.
CANNED GOODS LEAD THE WAY
Canned goods exports grew by 8.4%, driven by a 10.5% surge from the Nocera Canned Goods district, contributing €41 million to the sector’s overall €65 million increase. Parma’s food sector also posted a strong performance, with a +28% rise in exports.
MEAT EXPORTS SHOW STRENGTH
The meat sector recorded a 6.1% rise, with standout performances from Parma’s cured meats (+17.6%) and Modena’s cured meats (+8.8%).
DAIRY DISTRICTS FACE CHALLENGES
The dairy sector presented a mixed picture. While Southeast Lombardy’s dairy district, the largest by export value, saw a 3.7% decline, and Campania’s buffalo mozzarella exports fell by 10.3%, the Parma dairy district posted a remarkable 36% growth in the first quarter of 2024.
OIL SECTOR POWERS AHEAD
The olive oil sector led export growth, surging by 65%. Tuscany’s oil district saw a 71.7% increase, while Umbria’s rose by 44.2%, and the Bari oil and pasta district followed with a 55.4% rise.
RICE EXPORTS DIP SLIGHTLY
The rice sector was the only one to report a decline, slipping by 0.8%. Vercelli’s rice exports held steady after last year’s 26.1% surge, while Pavia’s rice sector saw a slight drop of 1.7%.
COFFEE AND FISH EXPORTS GROW
The coffee sector saw an 8.4% rise, led by the Trieste Coffee district’s 13.8% growth. Meanwhile, the fish district of Polesine and Venice posted a strong 19.8% increase, as efforts to combat the blue crab invasion, including the establishment of protected zones, continued.
KEY EXPORT MARKETS FOR ITALY’S FOOD DISTRICTS
Germany remained Italy’s top trading partner for agri-food products (+4.2%), while exports to the United States rebounded sharply (+17.2%) after a slight drop in 2023. France (+1.9%) and the UK (+0.8%) also saw growth. Exports to emerging markets, which account for 20% of the total, surged by 10.1%, with notable gains in Poland (+10.3%), Romania (+17.5%), China (+6.9%), and Russia (+44.7%).