Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Italian Geographical Indications continue to run. In fact, the 2019 data about the so-called PDOeconomy, depict a growing sector of primary importance: 16.9 billion euros of production value (+4.2% compared to 2018), with a contribution of 19% to the total turnover of Italian agri-food system.
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According to latest Ismea-Qualivita report, the Italian GIs system remains strategic. Also thanks to the work of over 180,000 operators and the commitment of the 285 recognized protection Consortia.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PDOECONOMY
Within the Italian F&B sector, half a billion of production value is to be attributed to Geographical Indications from 2010 onwards. The PDO and PGI food industry is worth 7.7 billion euros in production, while the bottled wine industry reaches 9.2 billion euros.
Italian GIs exports (2019/2018)
| Food Sector | 2019/2018 % var. | Exports Value (2019) |
| Cheeses | +13% | €2 billion |
| Meat-Based products and cold cuts | +5.6% | €601 million |
| Balsamic Vinegar | n.a. | €891 million |
| Fruit and Vegetables | -40% | €134 million |
| Olive Oil | -11% | €56 million |
| Fresh Meat | -2.9% | €10 million |
PDO AND PGI EXPORTS
The exports of the sector amount to 9.5 billion euros. Sales in 2019 scored a growth of +5.1% while maintaining a share of 21% of the total Italian food exports. The greatest contribution comes from the wine sector with a value of 5.6 billion euros, however, the PDO and PGI food products sales abroad are also growing: +7.2% on 2018, equal to 3.8 billion euros, and +162% compared to 2009. The top importing countries are Germany (786 million euros), the USA (711 million), France (525 million), and the UK (273 million).
A RECORD VALUE FOR BOTTLED WINE
In 2019, the production value of Italian wines with a certified Geographical Indication exceeded the threshold of 25 million hectoliters. This is the result of opposing trends between PDOs (+6.2%, also thanks to the introduction of new products) and PGIs (-1%). The production value of bulk wines was about 3.5 billion euros, while for bottled wines it reaches 9.2 billion: of these, 7.6 billion are represented by PDO wines, which have an economic weight equal to 82% of GI wines. Exports reached 5.6 billion euros (+4%) out of a total of 6.4 billion euros (+3%).
