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What are the characteristics of the agricultural sector in Italy?
The agricultural terrain in Italy covers 31.7% of the country’s total surface. This translates into a total of 10.9 million hectares (ha). Investors who want to establish a business in Italy in the agricultural sector should know that the Italian terrain is suitable for growing fruits and vegetables. It is also important to know that local farmers obtain significant results in growing sugar beets, tomatoes and cereals. Our team of lawyers in Italy can advise on the main procedures for setting up a business in the Italian agricultural industry.
What is the current situation of the organic agriculture industry in Italy?
Over the past years, more and more consumers became interested in purchasing fruits and vegetables grown organically. This market registered a relevant development in the last years, including in Italy, which expanded its organic agriculture production by 20% at the level of 2016. Investors who want to start a business in this sector should also know that the number of farms that grow organic products increased at 1.79 million at the level of 2016 (compared to only 1.5 million in 2015) and our team of Italian lawyers can offer more details on the requirements imposed to such businesses.
What are the trends for growing organic products in Italy?
Out of the total agricultural terrain available in Italy, more than 300,000 hectares are used for organic farming. As mentioned by a representative of the Agriculture Ministry in Italy, the country is one of the most sustainable markets at the level of the European Union (EU) on the production of organic farming products. In this sense, it is important to know that the Italian market is characterized by the following:
- • the total number of operators related to the organic farming industry increased to 70,154 (an increase of 20.3% compared to 2015);
- • the highest growth was registered for products such as vegetables, cereals, grapes and olives;
- • the Italian region which has the most organic farming land is Sicily;
- • other top regions where organic farming activities are developed are Puglia and Calabria.
Businessmen are invited to contact our law firm in Italy for more details related to the registration of an agricultural business. Our attorneys can advise on the business permits required for this activity, which can vary depending on the operations performed by the company.