ROME: As reported by the “L’agricoltura nelle regioni d’Italia” report published by Confagricoltura, Italian exports increased by 71% in the period between 2000 and 2015. Nonetheless, while exports in 2015 reached €6.6 billion, imports reached €13.7 billion. Over the past 15 years, imports increased by 49% while exports increased by 71%. What is worrying is the constant decrease of the areas dedicated to fruit cultivation – from 498,407 to 396,585 hectares (-20%). Only citrus fruit and table grapes increased (+13% and +14% respectively). For what concerns the single regions, we can see how, in 2000, Trentino Alto Adige had a positive balance between imports and exports equal to €104 million, increased to €552 million in 2015. Sicily also did well, as the positive balance went from 109 million to 261.
Emilia Romagna is the leading exporter with €894 million in 2015 against the 605 of 2000. It is followed by Veneto, which passed from €429 million to 891. Puglia occupies the third place with €822 million against the 578 of 2000. There was a slight increase in employees (+0.66%), who went from 425,730 to 428,575. However, the number of entrepreneurs dropped by 29.42% – from 587,011 in 2000 to 414,314 fifteen years later. It must be said, though, that a lot of shell companies were eliminated. Confagricoltura processed Istat data.
