Italian agriculture crisis deepens as rice sector faces collapse and farmer profits vanish

Italy, Europe’s top rice producer, is confronting a sharp downturn in the rice market. Confagricoltura has called a national table with Minister Lollobrigida to address falling farmgate prices and a surge in imports that rose 29% in volume in the first quarter of 2026, pressuring margins and the viability of the sector.

The broader Italian agri‑food sector is also in distress. Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori (CIA) president Cristiano Fini warned that agricultural prices have been "unchanged for 40 years" while production costs have exploded, leaving farmers operating at a loss across cereals, olive oil, rice and honey. He called for government action, tighter import controls and better value distribution along the supply chain to protect food sovereignty and farm incomes.