Italian agriculture today: between economic and environmental crisis
Once upon a time, making a living from agriculture in Italy was a certainty. Today, however, the reality is very different: profit margins are shrinking, production costs are rising, and agronomic difficulties are multiplying. How can an agricultural entrepreneur survive in these conditions? Is it still possible to imagine a future in which the land guarantees economic stability?
Why is Italian agriculture in crisis?
Italian agriculture is experiencing one of the most profound crises in its history. The agricultural crisis is no longer just a problem of profitability, but also of sustainability: without a change of course, there is a risk that more and more farms will be forced to abandon the fields. But at what cost to the entire economic and environmental system?
The economic problem: you can no longer make a living from agriculture
The gap between the selling price and the costs incurred by farmers continues to widen. How can companies remain competitive in a market that penalizes producers? Large-scale retailers impose low prices, minimizing profit margins for producers. Fuel, plant protection products, and labor are becoming increasingly expensive, putting farms in difficulty. How can this spiral of costs be addressed without raising prices for consumers?
To better understand the evolution of prices and costs in the Italian agricultural sector, let's look at some comparative tables.
Average wholesale prices of main agricultural products (€/kg) from 2000 to 2025
| Product | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durum wheat | 0,20 | 0,22 | 0,25 | 0,27 |
| Corn | 0,15 | 0,18 | 0,22 | 0,24 |
| Tomato | 0,30 | 0,35 | 0,40 | 0,45 |
| Wine grapes | 0,25 | 0,28 | 0,32 | 0,35 |
| Milk (€/litro) | 0,30 | 0,33 | 0,38 | 0,40 |
Source: Based on ISTAT and ISMEA data.
Average production costs (€/ha) from 2000 to 2025
| Cost item | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds | 100 | 120 | 150 | 170 |
| Fertilizers | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| Plant protection products | 150 | 180 | 220 | 250 |
| Fuel | 500 | 600 | 700 | 800 |
| Labor (€/day) | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 |
Source: Based on ISTAT and ISMEA data.
Environmental challenges and their economic impact
Phenomena such as climate change, with its increasingly frequent and intense extreme events (floods, droughts, heat waves), generate significant direct and indirect costs. Damage to infrastructure, crop losses, and climate migration are just some of the economic repercussions we are already seeing.
At the same time, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation compromise essential services that nature provides us free of charge, such as pollination, water purification, and climate regulation. Pollution entails high economic costs in terms of public health, remediation of contaminated sites, and reduced agricultural productivity. The scarcity of natural resources, exacerbated by unsustainable consumption patterns, is driving up commodity prices.
- Over the last 50 years, almost 30% of agricultural land has disappeared in Italy, reducing the usable area to 12.8 million hectares.
- Over the last five years, 20% of Italy's territory has been degraded, showing signs of erosion, salinization, and compaction.
If we continue at this pace, reducing arable land, productivity, and therefore the supply of agricultural products, our dependence on imports will increase more and more. But what will happen when other countries face the same difficulties? Will we still be able to guarantee enough food for everyone?
Below are some tables illustrating the evolution of key environmental indicators in Italy from 2000 to 2025.
Change in average winter temperature (°C) in Italy
| Year | Variation from the 1981-2010 average (°C) |
|---|---|
| 2000 | +0,5 |
| 2005 | +0,7 |
| 2010 | +1,0 |
| 2015 | +1,2 |
| 2020 | +1,4 |
| 2025 | +1,5 |
Source: Based on ISPRA data.
Water stress index in agriculture in Italy (regional and seasonal variations)
| Period | General trend | Regions particularly affected |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-2005 | Increased water stress in some regions of southern Italy with prolonged periods of drought. | Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, Basilicata, and Sardinia. |
| 2006-2010 | Interannual variability, with some particularly dry years at the national level. | Southern Italy, the Po River basin, and central regions during certain summers. |
| 2011-2015 | Further increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events, with significant impacts on summer crops. | Southern regions, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto. |
| 2016-2020 | Years characterized by prolonged heat waves and water shortages, with significant consequences for agricultural production and the need for emergency irrigation measures. | Southern, Central, and Northern Italy. |
| 2021-2025 | Increased water stress across the nation, need for efficient water management in agriculture, and adaptation of agricultural practices. | Sud, Centro e Nord Italia. |
Data sources: ISPRA, Regional Water Resource Observatories, agrometeorological bulletins, CREA, AGEA, ANBI Water Resource Observatory.
Species eradicated in Italy due to diseases/pathogens (significant examples)
| Period (Start of Spread/Peak) | Disease/Causative Agent | Main Affected Crop | Region/Areas Mainly Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s - Present (Outbreaks) | Actinidia bacterial canker (Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae) | Kiwi fruit (especially Hayward variety) | Northern Italy (Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Lombardy), Lazio |
| 2000s - Present (Specific areas) | Citrus tristeza (Citrus Tristeza Virus - CTV) | Citrus fruits (bitter orange as a sensitive rootstock) | Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia (specific outbreaks) |
| 2000s - Present (Localized) | Plum pox virus (PPV) | Peach, apricot, plum, cherry | Outbreaks scattered across various regions (mainly in the north and center) |
| 2010s - Present (Emergency) | Flavescence dorée of grapevines | Grapes (especially Vitis vinifera) | Northern Italy (Piedmont, Veneto, Lombardy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna |
| 2010 - Present (Surveillance) | Corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera) | Corn | Northern Italy (gradual spread) |
| 2013 - Today | Rapid desiccation of olive trees - CoDIRO (Xylella fastidiosa) | Olive tree, but also other species (e.g., almond tree, cherry tree, grapevine) | Apulia (Salento, then spreading), Sicily, Calabria, Lazio |
| 2014–present (Surveillance) | Popillia japonica | Various crops (corn, soybeans, fruit trees, vines, etc.) and ornamental plants | Northern Italy (Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna) |
| Since around 2018 (with a recent increase) | Ash tree borer (Agrilus planipennis) | Ash (various species) | Northern Italy (Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto), ongoing spread |
| Surveillance from around 2023 | Eastern fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) | Wide range of fruits (citrus fruits, peaches, mangoes, etc.) | Isolated reports and findings in some regions since 2018. Outbreaks in Campania and Emilia Romagna. |
Data sources: EPPO Global Database, Agroscope, MASAF national phytosanitary reports, regional phytosanitary services, ISPRA, EFSA, FAO, academic publications.
Agricultural multifunctionality: reinventing oneself to survive
Italian agriculture is at a crossroads and must reinvent itself in order to survive. Through multifunctionality, farms are diversifying by tapping into new sources of income. This reinvention includes activities such as:
- Rural hospitality: farmhouses, bed & breakfasts, and glamping.
- Niche crops: abandon competition on large global markets and focus on specific but high-income crops.
- Craft courses related to agricultural products: soap making, basket weaving using locally grown wicker, etc.
- Teaching on the farm: days dedicated to discovering farm life with workshops on beekeeping, cheese making, etc.
- Experiential tourism: active participation in fruit picking, tastings, etc.
- Cultivation of gourmet mushrooms and edible flowers.
- Adoption of trees or beehives.
- Short supply chain.
Innovation as the key to agricultural survival
Those who want to stay in the market must innovate, diversify, and create added value, finding tools that restore the soil and make farming sustainable in the long term.
The farmer of the future is not only a producer, but also an entrepreneur capable of communicating, engaging, and experimenting with new ways to make their business economically and environmentally sustainable.
In this scenario of continuous research for more resilient and sustainable agriculture, BioAksxter® biological fertilizers with a depolluting action are emerging to restore land exploited and depleted by chemicals, along with the AntGran® magnetic cover anti-hail system to definitively solve the problem of hail.
To better understand the impact of these phenomena on Italian agriculture, let's analyze data on hailstorms and soil degradation over the last 25 years.
Frequency of hailstorms in Italy from 2000 to 2025
| Period | Average number of days with hail per year |
|---|---|
| 2000-2005 | 15 |
| 2006-2010 | 18 |
| 2011-2015 | 22 |
| 2016-2020 | 27 |
| 2021-2025 | 30 |
Data source: ISPRA, CREA
Soil degradation and loss of fertility in Italy from 2000 to 2025
| Period | Agricultural land subject to degradation (%) |
|---|---|
| 2000-2005 | 10% |
| 2006-2010 | 13% |
| 2011-2015 | 17% |
| 2016-2020 | 20% |
| 2021-2025 | 25% |
Data source: ISPRA, CREA
Every farmer faces a choice: to endure change or to lead it. Which path do you want to take?
