ROMA (ITALPRESS) – positive signs for the Italian economy in the second quarter of 2026: GDP maintains a positive trend, recording +0.2% compared to the previous quarter and +1% compared to the same period of 2025. From the side of the offer emerges, at a conjunctural level compared to the previous quarter, a slight decrease in value added in the agricultural sector (-0.2%) and in the industrial sector (- 0.5%), while the services show an increase (+0.4%). On a tendential basis, compared to the same period of 2025, all sectors have positive variations: agriculture (+0.4%), industry (+0.5%) and services (+1.1%). On the front of domestic demand, the positive trend of national final consumption (+0.3%), gross fixed investments (+0.3%) and the expenditure of households for durable goods (+0.9%), confirming, for this last item, a favourable trend now consolidated by several quarters.
This is what emerges from the photograph taken in the second quarter of 2026 by CREAgritrend, the quarterly bulletin developed by CREA, with its Political and Bioeconomic Research Centre. Between April and June 2026, the production of the food industry remained substantially stable compared to the same period of the previous year (+0.1%), a lower result than the entire manufacturing sector. The trend in the beverage sector is more favourable, with an increase of 4%. The turnover of the food industry is a total decline of 4.7%, determined by the contraction on the internal market (-6.5%), with a 3% increase on foreign markets. Increasing sales in the beverage sector (-2.7%), with negative variations on both markets, more marked on foreign markets (-7.8%) than inland (-0.4%).
In the second quarter of 2026 agri-food trade shows contrasting dynamics: imports decrease by 1.6% compared to the same period of 2025, while exports rise again (+1.9%) after the slight decline in the first quarter, although in a differentiated manner according to the main target markets and the sectors. Dairy products (+2.7%), prepared meat (+2.9%) and cereal derivatives (+2.1%), as they return wine (-3%), sweet products (-6%) and olive oil (-15%). On the market front, exports to France (+1.5%), the United Kingdom (+2.7%) and Switzerland (+2.1%), while those to Germany (- 1.9%) and the United States (- 2.9%). Agro-food imports also show different dynamics between the main suppliers. Spain is confirmed as the first partner of Italy, while the purchases decrease from France (-4.9%), Germany (-5.6%) and the Netherlands (-12.1%), while those from Brazil (+3.2%) and Austria (+7.3%). In rise the purchases of fish products (+6.8%) and oils and fats (+4.4%), while lower those of fresh and frozen meat, dairy products, as well as cocoa and raw coffee.
Sentiment analysis: the data collected by specialized websites in the agri-food sector between 15 June and 22 September 2026 show a prevalence of the climate of confidence in the sector, with 64% positive judgments (+2.6% compared to the previous quarter), followed by 34.7% negative evaluations.
Special Wine and Consumers. The wine remains the protagonist of the Italian habits, but the ways to choose it and consume it change. To tell it is an investigation of 1,038 consumers: 94.4% drink wine at least occasionally, with preferences and behaviors that vary mainly according to age and gender. To direct the purchases is first of all taste (82%), followed by the denomination of origin (73.7%), while 41.2% is willing to spend more than 20 euros for a bottle. An attentive consumer emerges not only at the price, but also at the quality, identity and value of the territory.
– photos Pexels.com –
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