Italy agriculture faces over 3 billion euros in climate-related damages

Extreme heat, prolonged drought, hail, and wildfires have caused over 3 billion euros in damages to the Italian agricultural sector, according to initial estimates from Coldiretti. The financial impact is expected to rise if rainfall does not resume soon.

In Northern Italy, water scarcity is threatening entire supply chains. Corn crops are being reduced to dust in some areas, while rice production faces potential harvest declines of up to 40%. In the Po Delta region, some farmers report losses exceeding 90% due to the combined effects of heat and recent hailstorms.

Southern Italy and the islands are experiencing water stress affecting vegetables and tomatoes, leading to significant yield reductions. In Central Italy, high temperatures are pressuring olive groves, vineyards, and fruit crops. Specifically, in the Abruzzo region, particularly the province of Chieti, a lack of rain for approximately 100 days is severely impacting non-irrigated vineyards and olive groves.

Wildfires have added to the crisis, with nearly 80,000 hectares of forest and farmland burned across Italy since the start of the year. In Sardinia, fires have devastated thousands of hectares of pasture and crops, resulting in an estimated 10 million euros in losses involving livestock, apiaries, and agricultural structures.