Italy Among EU Leaders: Over One Fifth of Italian Agricultural Land is Organic
Data from the “Bio in Figures 2024” Report Published
Organic farming in Italy continues to grow: with a 4.5% increase compared to 2022 (+106 thousand hectares), the total organic utilized agricultural area (SAU Bio) has reached 2.46 million hectares, nearing 20% of the total.
The data from the “Bio in Figures 2024” report, curated by SINAB (the National Information System on Organic Agriculture) and presented at the ISMEA conference “Appointment with Bio,” confirm that Italy is among the leading countries in European organic farming with 2.46 million hectares and a 4.5% increase.
The number of organic operators has also increased, reaching 94,441 (+1.8% compared to 2022) with 84,191 organic farms (+1.9%), representing the most significant growth with 89.1%, driven by industrial crops (+13.1%) and forage crops (+11.4%).
From the perspective of distribution across the national territory, although 57.9% is concentrated in the South, there has been a progressive rebalancing of the situation:
- 24.6% in the Center (+5.3%);
- 17.5% in the North (+5.5%); In 2023, the North and Center grew at a higher annual rate compared to the South (+3.9%). The same dynamic is observed in the long term, with organic surfaces doubling in the North and Center since 2014, while growth in the South has been slower.
Regarding domestic consumption of organic products, it reached 3.8 billion euros in 2023, with an increase of 5.2% compared to the previous year, the highest recorded in recent years. The dynamics of organic spending among Italians have shown a general increase in sales for almost all product categories, with notable growth in:
- Cereals and derivatives;
- Oils and vegetable fats;
- Fresh eggs;
- Non-alcoholic beverages. There has also been a recovery in organic wine consumption, which, after a decline in 2022 (-3.9%), recorded a 6.9% increase. From a geographical point of view, over 60% of consumption is concentrated in the Northern regions, while the South and islands account for just 12%.
Large-scale retail confirms its leadership in organic product sales with 65%, amounting to 2.5 billion euros, with an increase of 178 million euros, +7.7% compared to 2022. The main organic products sold in large-scale retail are primarily:
- Oils and vegetable fats;
- Dairy products. Imports of organic products (from third countries) increased by 37.8% compared to 2022. The increase affected all product categories, particularly:
- Vegetables and legumes (+73.5%);
- Cereals (+67.8%), which remain the most imported category, accounting for 28.0% (+5.0% compared to 2022).
This increase is mainly due to the resumption of wheat imports from Turkey, which had been halted due to rising prices.
