Drought in Italy threatens production of high-margin agricultural products

Extreme heat and prolonged rainfall shortages in Italy are increasingly affecting the production of high-margin agricultural products. Bergamot crop losses in Calabria could exceed 60%, the outlook for hazelnut production is deteriorating in Piedmont, while drought is threatening white truffles in Tuscany. The impact goes beyond lower yields, as adverse weather is also affecting product quality and processing yields.

The situation is particularly difficult for bergamot in Calabria, where heat and prolonged lack of rainfall are causing fruit to dry out. Much of the crop’s commercial value comes from its essential oil: under normal conditions, around 100 kg of fruit yields only about 0.5 kg of oil. Drought can therefore reduce both the crop itself and the output of valuable raw material used by the food, cosmetics and perfume industries. The risks for the global market are amplified by the fact that most of the world’s bergamot production is concentrated in Calabria.

Hazelnut production is also under pressure. In Piedmont, high temperatures have accelerated ripening and the start of harvesting but have also caused premature nut drop. The nuts could also be smaller, reducing kernel yields after shelling. As a result, the financial losses for growers and processors could be greater than the decline in overall harvested volumes alone would suggest.

In Tuscany, drought is threatening white truffle production. Prolonged heat has severely dried out forest soils, while high temperatures and moisture shortages could damage spores during a critical stage of development. The first signs of stress are already evident in summer black truffles, with harvested volumes declining in recent weeks. Unlike conventional agricultural crops, truffle supplies cannot be quickly restored simply by expanding production areas or increasing irrigation.

The pressure on high-margin products comes amid a much broader drought, which affected more than 60% of Italy to varying degrees in early August. According to Coldiretti, total losses to Italian agriculture from drought, extreme weather and wildfires in 2026 have already exceeded €3 billion. The agricultural association is calling for faster investment in irrigation infrastructure and reservoirs as water shortages increasingly affect not only production volumes but also costs and the reliability of agricultural supply.

Tags: drought, nuts, tea, Italy, truffles