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Italian agricultural protests over wheat imports

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-24 18:40 UTC → 2026-08-25 14:48 UTC · added removed

The agricultural organization Coldiretti Puglia has initiated mobilizations to protest the use of imported wheat in the Italian pasta industry. The dispute was triggered by comments from flour industrialist Francesco Casillo, who reportedly stated that ‘pasta is good not because it is made with Italian wheat.’ Coldiretti condemned these remarks, accusing certain industrialists of using the Italian flag on products made with undisclosed foreign grain to avoid transparency. A central concern for the group is the high volume of durum wheat imports from Canada. They specifically highlighted health risks associated with the use of glyphosate in Canadian wheat, a herbicide prohibited for pre-harvest use in the European Union. Following these protests, Coldiretti has aligned itself with promotional campaigns from the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (Masaf) to encourage consumers to check labels for 100% Italian wheat. Coldiretti has expressed strong support for a new Masaf campaign featuring the Italian national volleyball team, which aims to promote pasta made with 100% domestic wheat and improve transparency regarding ingredient origins. Coldiretti notes that while the Italian pasta industry’s turnover has grown from €3.5 billion twenty years ago to over €7 billion today, much of this growth relies on foreign raw materials. To increase transparency, protect domestic farmers and consumer health, the organization has proposed measures to Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, including creating dedicated retail sections for domestic wheat pasta, improving shelf labeling for foreign origins, and implementing advanced technological controls at ports to enhance traceability.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-25 14:48 UTC Italian agricultural protests over wheat imports
  2. 2026-08-24 18:40 UTC Italian agricultural protests over wheat imports

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