Officials support Italy’s fruit and veg business in face of major challenges

Italy’s fresh produce business can grow by developing closer ties with suppliers in Africa, according to Italian agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida.

Speaking at the start of Macfrut, the three-day international trade fair which takes place this week in Rimini, Lollobrigida encouraged Italy’s entire fruit and vegetable industry to foster closer ties with the African continent.

“Macfrut is a fair that is open to the future and to nations, especially African ones, which represent a great opportunity for the Italian agricultural system,” he said. “There is a lot of land in Africa and there is also the possibility of working it. Together we can create development opportunities and create opportunities for both: they can consolidate their food sovereignty, we can export our technologies and in the future markets for our products.”

During an opening conference that focused on the theme of water conservation, the minister also highlighted the importance of managing water resources and investing in new sources of energy.

“The future offers opportunities and represents a challenge for Italian agriculture and fruit and vegetables,” the added. “Here at Macfrut there is a moment of discussion and work, useful and frank, and this international fair, now consolidated, is the ideal place to find solutions to help Italian agriculture grow.”

Loss of momentum

Michele De Pascale, president of the Emilia Romagna region, welcomed the event’s return and called on everyone involved in the industry to support its development in the face of some serious challenges.

“The fruit and vegetable supply chain [in Emilia Romagna] is worth over a billion euros, and includes not only agricultural production, but also the entire connected industry: mechanisation, processing, research. It is a fundamental piece of our identity,” he commented.

“However, we must say it clearly, this is one of the sectors that today needs the most support. The last few years have been difficult, marked by extreme weather events and a loss of competitiveness due to excessively high costs.”

He concluded: “We need to do more on logistics to reduce costs, including energy costs, and on water management.”

The importance of fresh produce to Italy’s economy cannot be overstated. It accounts for more than a quarter of the country’s agricultural production, and last year the business generated more than €17bn in sales, as well as a reported €60bn across its entire supply chain network.

Exports reached around €6.5bn in 2024, up 6.3 per cent, and between 2019 and 2023 fresh produce exports have risen by a reported 30.3 per cent.