Rome, 11 November (Adnkronos) – Today’s crop protection products are increasingly safe, modern and efficient, in response to the increasing demands of sustainable and innovative agriculture. In fact, the downward trend in agropharmaceutical sales continues, a clear sign of how the sector is increasingly oriented towards the implementation of practices aimed at optimizing the use of technical means, to transition towards new models and in line with the objectives of the ‘Agriculture and Food Vision’. The latest data from the Agrofarma Observatory, a report that, every six months, provides information on the sophistication of Italian agriculture and the agricultural sector, restores the image of an agriculture that is not only concerned with reducing environmental impacts and the responsible use of agrochemicals, but is also increasingly becoming a protagonist of the energy transition.
“There is a change underway, which not only involves the provision of new solutions, but at the same time, the correct implementation of good crop protection practices. Farmers are so aware of this that for years they have been acting in the field to guarantee greater sustainability, to be understood in all its meaning (environmental, social and economic) – says Paolo Tassani, president of Agrofarma -Federchimica – The latest data from the Agrofarma Observatory are further evidence of how the sector is already developing in the right direction: innovation, training and the implementation of increasingly modern and safe solutions is key to guaranteeing a competitive future for Italian and European agriculture”.
The scientific responsibility of this project was entrusted to Areté, Agri-food intelligence company, an independent economic research, analysis and consulting company fully specialized in the agricultural and food sector. “Now, two years after the first launch of the Observatory, several trends continue to be confirmed regularly, illustrating a sector that, despite the difficulties and challenges it has had to face, has a proactive approach to change. This is what arises from the tendency to innovate, from the ongoing goals in terms of sustainability and circularity, as well as from the safety of products that define standards of excellence in Europe and in the world. All this, it is important to underline, in the context of the extreme richness and cultural diversity that characterizes our country, which makes the challenges that agriculture and agrochemicals have to face even more diverse”, said Enrica Gentile, CEO of Areté.
Sales of crop protection products in Italy experienced an overall decline of 18% between the three-year periods 2021-2023 and 2012-2014. Fungicide reduction was ranked first, followed by herbicides. The observed reduction is even more significant when looking at the volume of active ingredients contained in the product: -24% in the period considered. Italy recorded a very significant decline compared to the countries analyzed and the EU27 average. This is possible thanks to more careful resource management, which takes into account seasonal and climatic needs. At the same time, the use of active ingredients, including those of biological origin, experienced a significant increase of +133% in the same period, which is a sign of increasing attention in the development of new solutions. In terms of food safety, Italy continues to maintain a strong leadership: data shows that we are among the countries with the lowest agrochemical residues in food, with only 1% of food having plant protection product residues above permitted limits.
The analysis then highlights that more than half of the active ingredients currently permitted in the EU have been introduced in the last 10 years. Focusing on Italy, it is known that around 85% of the agrochemicals currently on the market were approved after 2010. In addition, in the period January 2024-October 2025, there are a total of 38 agrochemicals permitted for use in licensed organic farming in Italy: 17 more than in the same period 2023-2024.
Regarding agricultural environmental indicators. Significant reductions have occurred especially in ozone precursors and acidifiers, and also in greenhouse gases. Ammonia emissions from agriculture increase between 2022 and 2023; Despite this, the downward trend that began in the early 1990s continues. The emission control goals agreed by Italy and the EU for 2030 were achieved well in advance in 2021.
For the first time in this new wave, an in-depth analysis of agroenergy also appears, to frame the role of the agricultural sector in national energy production: the share of energy produced in Italy from renewable sources is experiencing moderate but constant growth: from 17% in 2014 to around 20% in 2023. In this context, agroenergy plays a strategic role. In Italy, about 2% of the total electricity generated from renewable sources comes from biogas, the second largest amount after Germany among major European countries.
In terms of crop diversification, Italy ranks second among EU countries in terms of crop variety (121), behind only Spain (125). Among small crops, those that recorded the most significant growth in hectares in the 2015-2024 period were zucchini (+2,186 ha), lentils (+1,404 ha), pomegranate (+1,304 ha) and early potatoes (+611 ha).
Finally, from the data from the Agrofarma Observatory it is clear that “in recent decades, the management of pathogens has become increasingly complex due to the continuous reduction in molecules available to farmers and the concomitant increase in diseases, the causes of which are mainly due to the problems caused by climate change. The industry, aware of these dynamics, is investing more and more in research and development to meet the needs of agriculture which not only has to face new challenges, but also has to be able to produce in a sustainable and safe way and remain competitive.”
