Italy set a new record for food and wine exports in 2018, which reached €42 billion, up 3% year-on-year. Almost two-thirds of Italian agri-food exports went to EU countries, where the main partner is Germany, according to data published by Italian farmers association Coldiretti, based on Istat projections. Outside the EU, the US is the key destination for Italian food.

The best performing categories include Mediterranean essentials such as wine; sparkling wines grew by 13% and reached an export value of more than €1.5 billion during the year. Elsewhere, cured meats and cheeses (+3%) and pasta (+2%) have seen an increase. Fresh fruit and vegetables were down 4%.