White meat, production increases again. Purchases of eggs on the rise

Domestic consumption in 2023 grew by 4.6%, but "in the first quarter of 2024, meat purchases in general have marked the pace, highlighted by the downsizing of volumes for all types, greater for red meat (-6.4% the volumes of pork and -5.3% those of beef) but not escaped by white meat, which recorded a contraction in volumes of 2.9%. "This reduction in volumes purchased combined with a downsizing of average prices," Ismea concludes, "reduced household expenditure on poultry meat by 6.4%.

Even for eggs, 2023 was a good year: consistent with consumption trends that reward protein, they are an increasingly popular food among Italians, who consume an average of 215 per person, or over 13.6 kg per year, +4.5% of direct domestic consumption compared to 2022. The self-sufficiency rate is 97%, up 2 percentage points from 2022.

But what are the prospects for 2024 and what are the challenges for Italian poultry farming? For the world poultry market," underlines the Ismea study, "there is a forecast of growth between 1.5% and 2%, and in this context Italian production should also increase by a further 0.9% in 2024. But "still creating instability are the prices of energy and raw materials, starting with animal feed, influenced by the consequences of the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East".

"In the last year," commented Gianluca Bagnara, president of Assoavi, "the economic crisis pushed families towards the purchase of eggs favoured by their low cost in relation to protein intake and versatility of use. This was then combined with a fall in the cost of raw materials for animal feed. These factors have marked a good moment for the sector.The horizon for the second half of 2024 and 2025 is not serene, however. International geopolitical choices are favouring the import of eggs from Ukraine at low cost and without the level of controls we have within the European Union. We need to rekindle our focus on agricultural feedstocks: climate variability, low stocks and financial speculation linked to geopolitical scenarios could create problems for breeding costs in Europe'.

"Italian poultry farming," added Antonio Forlini, President of Unaitalia, "is confirmed as a strategic sector for the country, which sees production, consumption and exports growing also in 2023. There is no stopping the passion for white meat, the most loved by Italians and fundamental for a nutritious and balanced diet. A passion that also involves foreign countries, with exports growing by 29%, thanks to the competitiveness of our sector. In an increasingly evolving context it will be fundamental to combine innovation and development with animal welfare, environmental and economic sustainability, while always focusing on the consumer, who asks us to guarantee a 100% Italian product, excellent but also economically accessible.