Coldiretti: Climate Change Will Cost Italian Farmers 9 Billion in 2024

In 2024, Italian agriculture paid a price of 9 billion euros for the consequences of climate change and epidemics, with an impact on the incomes of agricultural businesses, which live in parallel with problems determined by foreign competition and high production costs. The figure comes from Coldiretti, which held its annual assembly in Rome and discussed the decisive consequences on the agricultural sector.

Drought and bad weather have devastated agricultural production in Italy, with drops in some of the most significant productions for the country such as wheat (-20%) and olive oil (-32%), according to Coldiretti. Drought, in particular, has been crucial for wine production, which has dropped by 13% compared to the average production, with a subsequent decrease in rice and hazelnuts.

Epidemics have also hit Italian stables, with the return of African swine fever, bluetongue and spoilage, which have led to the slaughter of thousands of animals. Coldiretti has reported, as an alarming result, that the number of agricultural companies in Italy has fallen, for the first time, below 700,000 units.

Coldiretti urges EU policy revisions, including revisiting the Mercosur agreement, to support agriculture

In light of the current situation, Coldiretti calls for prompt interventions to support the sector, starting with European political choices , such as the rectification of the denial of the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur, a decision by Censis that Coldiretti and the farmers did not share and which they requested to be revised.

In addition to the agreement, which will temporarily cause unfair competition to European agri-food, there is also the difference in the amount to be allocated for the green transition between Mercosur and European agricultural companies. Mercosur farmers, in fact, will have 1.8 billion euros to support the transition, while agricultural companies will have just over half to solve the problems arising from the agreement.

“In 2025 we will have significant challenges, the first one related to the CAP. There is a topic of discussion of the future common agricultural policy related to inflation” declared Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti.

“We have lost in the last seven years a total value of 100 billion, we believe that they must be recovered either directly on the CAP, or even with new funds and chapters, which are additional and directed towards agricultural businesses and which are stable. Not a compensation of one billion as von der Leyen promised, paradoxically giving two to the Mercosur countries.”

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(Featured image via Pixabay)

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First published in ESG NEWS. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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