Italy faces durum wheat crisis and agricultural instability

Italy is facing a significant crisis in its durum wheat sector, threatening national productive sovereignty. According to data from the Confagricoltura Study Center, cultivated durum wheat areas in Italy have decreased by 10% between 2012 and 2025. The self-sufficiency rate has dropped from 78% to 56.5%, leaving a gap of over 880,000 hectares to reach autonomy. The sector is struggling with climate emergencies, rising energy and production costs, and declining prices for producers.

In the Piedmont region, Confagricoltura Piemonte is proposing measures to combat the impact of drought. The organization is calling for an increase of €1.2 million in regional agricultural credit funds, bringing the total program to €3.05 million. The proposal aims to balance support between individual businesses and cooperatives. Additionally, the group is requesting a voluntary 12-month moratorium on mortgage capital payments and enhanced credit guarantees to ensure farmers can plan for upcoming seasons despite water scarcity and financial pressure.