The forecast data for the end of 2022 for the Italian organic sector (based on surveys updated at the end of last May) were previewed at Biofach on the afternoon of Wednesday, 27th July by AssoCertBio, the association founded in 2017 by 12 certification bodies that certify 95% of all the national organic products. The AssoCertBio Observatory anticipates any other statistical survey and forecast analysis regarding Italy: the following are the latest data from a trustworthy source.
By the end of 2022 AssoCertBio predicts an increase in both the number of hectares cultivated under the organic system in Italy and the number of operators.
The operators will reach the amount of 88,474 at the end of the year, with an increase of more than 2%, while the organic surfaces will be 2,266,563 hectares, with a growth of around 10 thousand hectares from 2021. Hence, the growth of organic farming in Italy is continuing, despite problems like inflation and growth of competitors (undefined “sustainable” and “zero residue” products), which require a prompt reaction from the sector, especially in terms of communication of values and food safety offered by organic farming. Also, the size of the organic farms is not ideal. As AssoCertBio pointed out in Nuremberg, 50% of Italian organic farms are currently measuring under 15 hectares (the first region with this type of farm is Calabria), 25% under 50 hectares (the leading region for this type of farm is Sicily) and only the remaining 50% exceed 50 hectares (the leading region for this type of farm is Puglia).
The vice-president Alessandro D’Elia (in the picture) described AssoCertBio as a “point of reference for the Italian organic sector also for institutions”. “We are all on the same boat – he said -, we must row on the same direction, bringing sustainability, and enhancing the identity and the strength of the organic world. We need a strong association for this”.
AssoCertBio is based in Bologna and is led by Riccardo Cozzo, with the general secretary Domenico Corradetti. (a.f.)
