Generational renewal is a key priority for the newly appointed board of Demeter Italia—but it’s not the only one. Alongside young farmers, the association is also turning its attention to young consumers.
“We want to address both groups with the same level of priority,” said Marco Paravicini, Vice President of Demeter Italia since May and owner of Cascine Orsine. “Farms rely on consumers. It’s vital that we communicate the work being done, yet many Italian consumers are still unaware of its value. The most effective way to bridge that gap is to open up our farms—when people experience our work firsthand, they’re more likely to connect the Demeter label they see on shelves with the quality of the farms behind it.”
The Demeter brand is indeed far better known abroad than it is in Italy.
“Italy plays a major international role,” explained Giovanni Buccheri, Director of Demeter Italia. “In fact, we may be the country exporting the largest volume of biodynamic products in Europe. Unfortunately, the domestic market is still almost non-existent. What benefits our certified farmers is that Italian biodynamic products are highly sought after internationally. We’re involved in a wide range of supply chains—especially olive oil, fruits, vegetables, pasta, and grains—and we’re now working to develop sectors like meat and eggs, which are still underrepresented.”
Exports represent the lion’s share of certified production:
on average, 77% of Demeter-certified EVO olive oil, 87% of vegetables, apples, table grapes, and processed goods, and up to 98% of certain fruit-based products are exported. Biodynamic wine sees 68% going abroad, while 30% is consumed domestically.
“Being Made in Italy adds real value,” Buccheri continued. “Foreign consumers—especially in Germany—are willing to pay more for Italian biodynamic products. The real challenge now is to grow the Italian market, making the Demeter brand and its quality promise more widely known. At present, our products are mostly found in specialized organic stores or directly from our certified farms. We’d love to break into large-scale retail, but its business model is very different from the biodynamic approach. Instead, we’re working to make certified products available at local farmers’ markets and neighborhood street markets, where producers can connect more directly with consumers. This is already happening in some cities, such as Bolzano.”
Alongside efforts to strengthen the domestic market, the new board is also focused on raising the bar for Demeter’s standards.
“Environmental sustainability has always been one of our strengths,” said Paravicini, “but now, together with the International Federation, we want to place greater emphasis on social responsibility. Farming in a closed-loop system, improving soil fertility and promoting well-being, is no longer enough. We must also ensure quality of life for those who work on our farms and foster inclusion for the most vulnerable. Over the next few years, we want to adapt our standards to explicitly reflect these values—areas in which many biodynamic farms are already excelling, even if they’re not yet formally recognized.”
Elena Consonni
