Emilia-Romagna solidifies its standing as the second-largest economic driver for Geographical Indication products in Italy. The province of Parma, boasting a value of 1.67 billion euros, takes the lead regionally, according to the latest Ismea-Qualivita 2023 report on Italy’s ‘PDO Economy.’
The figures depict a thriving sector on a national scale, reaching 20.2 billion euros. In this landscape, Emilia-Romagna emerges with 3.96 billion euros (2022 data), stemming from a diverse network of 74 PDO and PGI food and wine supply chains.
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Emilia-Romagna’s PDO Economy witnessed a +5.4% growth compared to 2021, contributing 28% to the overall value of the regional agri-food sector. This success is attributed to the collaborative efforts of 16,661 professionals overseen by 36 Consortia for the Protection of wine and food supply chains.
Leading the pack in economic impact is the province of Parma (1.67 billion euros), trailed by Modena (841 million euros) and Reggio Emilia (723 million). Piacenza (295 million), Bologna (171 million), Ravenna (132 million), Forlì-Cesena (68 million), Rimini (41 million), and Ferrara (25 million) follow suit.
SECTORS AND PRODUCTS
The cheese industry takes the pole position in terms of economic contribution (44%), closely followed by meat-based products (33%), wine (11%), and balsamic vinegar (10%). Looking at the food sector only, Emilia-Romagna claims the top spot in Italy for economic value, with a production value of 3.5 billion euros (showing a robust +6.9% growth in 2022 compared to 2021). This encompasses 44 certified supply chains and involves 5,952 operators.
Noteworthy PDO products significantly elevating the economic value of the sector include Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI, Mortadella Bologna PGI, Grana Padano PDO, and Piadina Romagnola PGI.