Aug 24, 20212 min read

Italian F&B exports are pandemic-proof

Italian food and beverage products recorded an all-time high in exports, with a leap of +8.9% in the first five months of 2021 (compared to the same period of 2020), after being the only Italy’s growing economic sector also in 2020 (for a total value of 46.1 billion euros). According to the analysis of the Italian farmers association, Coldiretti, on the basis of ISTAT data on foreign trade, the health emergency has caused a global healthy turn in consumers, who have favored products allied to well-being such as those typical of the Mediterranean diet.

In the coming months, a further positive impact on export sales is expected from the victory at the European Football Championship, which has given further prestige to the image of Made in Italy.

ITALIAN FOOD’S TOP IMPORTING COUNTRIES

Among the main importing countries we can find the United States, which recorded the greatest increase in demand (+14.2%) in the first months of 2021. This has been favored by the coming into force, on March 11, 2021, of the agreement on the suspension of all duties related to the Airbus-Boeing dispute. Thus the additional duties of +25% were eliminated on exports to the USA of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, Grana Padano PDO, Gorgonzola PDO, Asiago PDO, Fontina PDO, Provolone Valpadana PDO as well as salami, mortadella, shellfish, citrus fruits, juices, cordials and liqueurs.

The export trend was also positive in Germany, which ranks first among the importing countries of Italian food with a growth rate of +5.4%. The same as France’s, which ranks third, while in fourth place we find the UK where, due to Brexit, Italian food exports fell by -8.4%.

“The NextGen EU Recovery Plan – says the president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini – is a unique opportunity not to be missed to increase the competitiveness of companies on both the domestic and foreign markets.”