The data of the 20th Ismea-Qualivita Report describes much more than a simple recovery of the Italian PDO economy : after a 2020 marked by the pandemic, in which the sector had nonetheless shown good resilience and production continuity, the PDO PGI food and wine sector in 2021 will reach a total production value of 19.1 billion euros (+16.1% on an annual basis) and exports of 10.7 billion euros (+12.8%).
These record results bring the contribution of the PDO PGI sector to 21% of the total turnover of the national agri-food sector, a picture that outlines a great driving force on the part of the PDO PGI product chains, which has always been the expression of an economic asset that by its nature cannot be relocated, the result of the cohesive work of a complex and organized system that involves 198,842 operators and 291 protection consortia authorized by the Ministry throughout the country.
Dop Economy: 21% contribution to the national agri-food economy
The certified PDO PGI agri-food and wine production in 2021 reaches a value of 19.1 billion euros, a figure which, after the stop sign in 2020 (-2.0% on an annual basis), resumes the growth trend of the last ten years with a +16.1%.The PDO IGP food sector is close to 8 billion euros (+9.7%), while the wine sector exceeds 11 billion euros (+21.2%), record values that bring for the first time the contribution of the PDO economy to 21% of the total turnover of the national agri-food sector: more than one euro out of five of Italian food and wine is generated by PDO PGI products.
Export DOP IGP: the threshold of 10 billion exceeded thanks to the recovery in non-EU countries
In terms of exports, PDO PGI agri-food and wine products in 2021 reached 10.7 billion euros, for a weight of 21% of total Italian agri-food exports , a result which is the sum of a "double record" with food at 4.41 billion euros and +12.5% on an annual basis and wine at 6.29 billion euros (+13.0%). In particular, double-digit growth was recorded for the main categories, from cheeses (+15%) to balsamic vinegars (+11%) to meat-based products (+13%). The wine sector is driven by DOP wines (+16%), with sparkling wines in the lead (+25%).
Territorial impact: the Italian DOP economy is growing from North to South
With regard to the economic impacts of the PDO PGI supply chains, 2021 records growth for 18 out of 20 regions, with over half of the cases marking double-digit percentage changes. The four regions of the North-East strengthen their economic driving force, exceeding a total of 10 billion euros for the first time. North-West (+10.8%) and Center (+15.5%) also rose.
The figure for the "South and Islands" is particularly significant, the only area growing in 2020 (+7.5%), in 2021 it marks a further +13.2%. 
PDO PGI TSG food: GI agri-food responds to the post-pandemic with growth of +10%
The Italian agri-food PDO PGI TSG involves 85,601 operators, 167 authorized consortia and 43 control bodies .
In 2021 it will reach 7.97 billion euros in production value, marking an increase of +9.7% in one year and +26% in the decade. For consumption, the sector reaches 15.82 billion euros for a +4.5% on an annual basis.
The race for exports continues in 2021 with 4.41 billion euros (+12.5% on 2020), a value that has doubled since 2011 (+99.6%). The main markets are confirmed as the USA (€832 million), Germany (€791 million), France (€601 million), the United Kingdom (€210 million) and Spain (€205 million).In 2021 it will reach 7.97 billion euros in production value, marking an increase of +9.7% in one year and +26% in the decade. For consumption, the sector reaches 15.82 billion euros for a +4.5% on an annual basis.
DOP IGP wine: 2021 year of records for Italian DOP IGP wine
The Italian PDO PGI wine sector involves 113,241 operators, 124 authorized consortia and 12 control bodies.
In 2021 there were 27 million hectoliters of bottled wine (+10.9% in one year) , the value of bulk production reached 3.85 billion euros and marks a +19.1% on 2020, while the value of DOP and IGP bottled wine in 2021 exceeded 11.16 billion euros for a +21.2% on an annual basis. The increase in value is mainly attributable to PDO wines (+22%) compared to PGIs (+16%) and it is above all the large denominations that drive the growth of the sector.
Exports reach 6.29 billion euros, for a +13.0% on an annual basis and a trend of +74% since 2011, with a recovery in non-EU countries starting with the USA (+17.6%), the first destination market with 1.58 billion euros, followed by Germany (€940 million), the United Kingdom (€707 million), Switzerland (€376 million) and Canada (€362 million).
In 2021 there were 27 million hectoliters of bottled wine (+10.9% in one year) , the value of bulk production reached 3.85 billion euros and marks a +19.1% on 2020, while the value of DOP and IGP bottled wine in 2021 exceeded 11.16 billion euros for a +21.2% on an annual basis. The increase in value is mainly attributable to PDO wines (+22%) compared to PGIs (+16%) and it is above all the large denominations that drive the growth of the sector.
Exports reach 6.29 billion euros, for a +13.0% on an annual basis and a trend of +74% since 2011, with a recovery in non-EU countries starting with the USA (+17.6%), the first destination market with 1.58 billion euros, followed by Germany (€940 million), the United Kingdom (€707 million), Switzerland (€376 million) and Canada (€362 million).
Italian GDO: driver channel confirms post-pandemic growth
After the leap in purchases in the large-scale retail trade in 2020, reflecting the pandemic and the restrictions on other channels, which for the PDO PGI basket translated into a +6.4% increase in spending (+9.7% considering only fixed weight sales), the analysis of 2021 and the first nine months of 2022 shows a surprising stability in the results in the large-scale distribution.
In 2021, sales in value of PDO PGI food and wine recorded a very slight decrease on an annual basis (-0.5%) which becomes a positive change considering only fixed weight sales (+0.7%), a trend also confirmed in the first nine months of 2022.
Sales of the main PDO PGI products in the Italian GDO exceed 5 billion euros in turnover.
(Source: Qualivita Foundation)
In 2021, sales in value of PDO PGI food and wine recorded a very slight decrease on an annual basis (-0.5%) which becomes a positive change considering only fixed weight sales (+0.7%), a trend also confirmed in the first nine months of 2022.
Sales of the main PDO PGI products in the Italian GDO exceed 5 billion euros in turnover.
(Source: Qualivita Foundation)