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The amount of organÂiÂcally culÂtiÂvated farmÂland in Italy has increased by 7.5 perÂcent from 2021 to 2022, with olive groves being the most sigÂnifÂiÂcant crop, totalÂing 2,349,880 hectares. Despite the growth in organic farmÂing, domesÂtic demand for organic food prodÂucts in Italy remains low, with only a 0.5 perÂcent increase in conÂsumer expenÂdiÂture from 2021 to 2022, largely due to facÂtors such as inflaÂtion impactÂing houseÂhold spendÂing power.
The amount of agriÂculÂtural land culÂtiÂvated organÂiÂcally in Italy has increased conÂsidÂerÂably over the past two years, with olive groves makÂing up the most relÂeÂvant crop.
According to a new report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, the amount of organÂiÂcally culÂtiÂvated farmÂland rose by 7.5 perÂcent from 2021 to 2022, an increase from the 5.4 and 1.7 perÂcent gains recorded in the preÂviÂous two annual interÂvals.
More specifÂiÂcally, 2,349,880 hectares of active Italian farmÂland are manÂaged through organic farmÂing pracÂtices, repÂreÂsentÂing 18.7 perÂcent of the total.
See Also:Demand for Organic Olive Oil Growing GloballyThe govÂernÂment defines active farmÂland as pasÂtures, perÂmaÂnent grassÂlands, tree crops and domesÂtic garÂdens actively in use.
The European Union’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy includes the expanÂsion of organic farmÂing to at least 25 perÂcent of agriÂculÂtural surÂface area by 2030.
According to the Italian Institute of Services for the Agricultural and Food Market (Ismea), which preÂsented the report, organic operÂaÂtors increased by 8.9 perÂcent between 2021 and 2022. Of those 92,779 comÂpaÂnies, 82,627 are farms.
During the preÂsenÂtaÂtion, Fabio Del Bravo, a rural develÂopÂment offiÂcial at Ismea, said active organic farmÂland grew approxÂiÂmately 160,000 hectares in the period, with olive groves repÂreÂsentÂing 16 perÂcent of that increase.
The 25,600-hectare increase makes organic olive groves the sinÂgle most sigÂnifÂiÂcant crop conÂtribÂuÂtor to the curÂrent organic farmÂing expanÂsion in the counÂtry. Organic vineÂyards grew by 7 perÂcent.
According to the report, Tuscany is the Italian region with the largest active organic farmÂland, with 36.8 perÂcent. Meanwhile, 24.7 perÂcent of active farmÂland in Puglia, the counÂtry’s largest olive oil-proÂducÂing region, is now organic.
Del Bravo said the report’s numÂbers show how active farmÂland expanÂsion and the abilÂity of organic farmÂing enterÂprises to comÂpete in the marÂket depend on fundÂing from E.U. and national develÂopÂment proÂgrams.
On a side note, the report showed how domesÂtic demand for organic food prodÂucts is still lagÂging, with a 0.5 perÂcent increase from 2021 to 2022.
Only 1.6 perÂcent of conÂsumers’ expenÂdiÂture on organic food goes to organic olive oil and other vegÂetable fats.
During the preÂsenÂtaÂtion, Del Bravo said many facÂtors conÂtribute to the slow growth in the value of organic foods sold to conÂsumers.
Among them, the most sigÂnifÂiÂcant impact comes from inflaÂtion, which sits at 6.4 perÂcent annuÂally. Inflation is affectÂing houseÂholds’ spendÂing power and famÂiÂlies’ buyÂing priÂorÂiÂties.
As the disÂtance between organic food prices and their conÂvenÂtional counÂterÂparts remains sigÂnifÂiÂcant, famÂiÂlies’ choices often do not include organic foods.
The stagÂnaÂtion in demand is one of the most critÂiÂcal chalÂlenges facÂing the organic farmÂing secÂtor.
Nevertheless, the report said that the Italian organic farmÂing secÂtor shows extraÂorÂdiÂnary vitalÂity due to the funds proÂvided by the E.U.’s Common Agricultural Policy and increasÂing coopÂerÂaÂtion among the varÂiÂous organic proÂducÂers’ orgaÂniÂzaÂtions and assoÂciÂaÂtions.
Additionally, Del Bravo said the Horeca secÂtor (restauÂrants, hotels and cafés) are increasÂingly interÂested in offerÂing organic prodÂucts to their cusÂtomers.
During the preÂsenÂtaÂtion, Italian govÂernÂment offiÂcials conÂfirmed their comÂmitÂment to reinÂforce the curÂrent develÂopÂment proÂgrams and the instiÂtuÂtional pubÂlic comÂmuÂniÂcaÂtion about the health benÂeÂfits derivÂing from the conÂsumpÂtion of organic foods.
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