Arneg keeps supporting organic research in Italy and worldwide
May 2022. Recently, the 2021 edition of the Bio Bank Report was published. It studies the evolution of organic production in Italy and worldwide in all its forms, from food to cosmetics, providing a snapshot of the relentless development of this sector from the 1990s to 2019.
We at Arneg have been committed to supporting this research for years, because we believe in the opportunity to create a world that is more careful about the wellbeing of the planet and people, and in the need to share with others the results achieved so far to boost further growth.
The world is slowly adopting a more responsible approach, paying more attention to waste and favouring healthy, local products in support of the environmental and social sustainability of the planet.
Proudly, we can affirm that in this context, Italy plays a leading role in both the European and global scenario.
In fact, in 2019, Italy ranked first in Europe in terms of export volume and number of processing companies, second in terms of number of agricultural producers, and third in terms of number and surface area of shops dedicated to organic products. And not only that. It also holds a world record for exports of biodynamic products, a production standard more rigorous than organic, even more respectful of nature and human health.
In the last two years, due to and thanks to the global context, people have developed a greater awareness of the connection and reciprocity between human and environmental well-being, leading to further growth in the development of these sectors. Within the organic sector, all indicators are growing, with the exception of the rate of specialised shop openings, which, partly due to the two-year pandemic, have lost ground to e-commerce. In Italy, the region with the best results in terms of number of sales outlets and density per inhabitants is Emilia Romagna. Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige and Marche are also in a good position.
The preconditions for further improvement in the future are all there: in fact, already in 2019 in Italy the percentage of utilised agricultural area (UAA) for organic production constituted 16% of the total agricultural area, perfectly in line with Europe's development directives, which want to reach 25% by 2030.
To learn more, browse the Bio Bank 2021 report and visit the website (Italian only).