It is the second manufacturing sector in the Italian economy with a turnover of 113 billion euros: it is the Italian food and agriculture sector, which has staged a recovery in the last two years after four quiet ones, the result of a downturn in domestic consumption and the growing phenomenon of counterfeiting. The sector is getting ready to test its recent progress at one of North America’s biggest events: the Summer Fancy Food (www.fancyfoodshows.com), considered the most important food and agriculture fair in the United States and which will take place in New York from 29 June to 1 July 2008. Italy will be present at the event with a collective participation organised by ICE (National Institute for foreign trade), which has also included the 2008 American fair in its own promotional programme in the aim of promoting the Made in Italy appeal by improving and updating its range of typical products. At the same time, it aims to consolidate and protect the positions it has already gained on the local market for the food and agriculture products most exposed to global competition.

Last year – despite a certain stagnation in consumption on the domestic market – exports of Made in Italy food and agriculture products responded well to the economic difficulties: in absolute values, the upper limit of 18 billion euros was reached, that is an increase of 7%, in line with the figures of the previous year (+7.1%). This increase in value also coincided with a rise in quantities (+3.5%), with a consequent rise in the mean unit value of about 3.5 points. As pointed out during recent weeks by the sector’s association Federalimentare (www.federalimentare.it), which released its annual figures on 5 May 2008, «exports, unlike what has often happened in the past, were more profitable in many cases than the domestic market». The share of foreign turnover of the total one reached 16%, gaining more than half a point compared to the 15.3% of the previous year. The goal of reaching the average community rate of 18% is therefore even nearer.

The sectors that have seen the best performances in 2007 on foreign markets are beer (+37.8%), dairy products (+13.6%), coffee (+13.7%) and rice (+13%). The traditionally export-oriented niches, in theory less able to increase their own levels of internationalisation, have also made double figure increases: pasta (+10.2%) and the transformation of fruit (+12.9%) and vegetables (+11.1%). In keeping with the general trend, two other leading export sectors, wine and confectionery, have achieved increases of 6.3% and 6.1% respectively. Germany was confirmed as the main outlet for Made in Italy food and beverage, with an increase of +5.1%. This European country alone accounts for 18% of all Made in Italy food exports. Despite the rise in value of the euro, the United States has made a significant recovery from the partial negative results (between -5% and -10%) of the beginning of the year on the almost stationary trends, with a decrease limited to -1.2% and a share equal to 12.3% of all Italian exports in the sector. France was third with a share of 11.9% and an increase of +6.1%. Positive signs – and this is now a regular occurrence – from the United Kingdom, a market that has for years favoured Italian food and agricultural products and confirmed itself as the fourth foreign ‘client’: up 10.4% in 2007. As for the emerging markets, it is worth mentioning the rates of development in Poland (+38.6%) and Russia (+17.6%).