Agriculture, Istat: production set to rise slightly (+0.3%) and employment to fall (-0.5%) in 2025
Production volumes increased for olive oil (+9.6%), cereals (+4.1%), wine (+2.9%) and flowers and nursery plants (+1.5%). It was, however, a poor year for fruit (-7.3%), pulses (-3.2%), industrial crops (-1.9%), fodder (-1.3%) and citrus fruits (-1%).
In 2025, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector recorded a slight increase in real production of 0.3%, with value added remaining stable (-0.1%), whilst employment fell by 0.5%. This is according to the 2025 economic accounts for agriculture published by Istat .
Production volumes increased for olive oil (+9.6%), cereals (+4.1%), wine (+2.9%) and flowers and nursery plants (+1.5%); by contrast, it has been a poor year for fruit (-7.3%), pulses (-3.2%), industrial crops (-1.9%), fodder (-1.3%) and citrus fruits (-1%).
Over the course of the year , the selling prices of agricultural products rose (+3.8%) as did those of goods and services used in the sector (+1%).
Italia remains in first place in the EU in terms of value added, whilst it drops to fourth place in terms of production value with €80.1 billion, an increase of 3.9% compared to €77.1 billion in 2024. This growth was driven by a significant rise in prices, alongside a slight increase in volumes (+0.3%).
Geographically, Istat reports that production in the sector increased in volume in the North-West (+0.7%), in the Centre and the South (both +0.6%), whilst it fell in the North-East (-0.2%) and the Islands (-0.1%). In terms of value added, growth in volume was recorded only in the South (+1.8%) and the Centre (+0.2%), whilst it fell by 1.6% in the North-East, by 0.8% in the North-West and by 0.6% in the Islands.
The agrifood sector, which also includes the food industry, generated added value of 89 billion euros in 2025, compared with 83.4 billion in 2024 (+0.7%), driven by the food, beverage and tobacco sector (+1.4%).
