Italian organic producers call for tighter controls on imports

Italian organic producers have raised concerns over the rapid increase in organic food imports from non-EU countries. According to an analysis of European Commission data by the Coldiretti Bio association, imports of organic products into Italy rose by 26% in 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching a record high.

The Italian market is seeing growing supplies of organic fruits, vegetables, olive oil, grains, and spices, many of which carry only a general label indicating “Non-EU Agriculture.” Coldiretti Bio argues that such labeling reduces transparency for consumers and creates unfair competition for domestic producers.

The association warns that the continued growth of lower-priced imports could undermine Italy’s organic farming sector and reverse years of progress in domestic organic production, one of the most developed in Europe.

Despite these concerns, Italy remains the EU’s leader in organic farming, with nearly 90,000 organic farms and about 2.5 mln ha of certified organic land, accounting for more than 20% of the country’s agricultural area. Italy is also the third-largest importer of organic products in Europe after the Netherlands and Germany.

Coldiretti Bio is calling for mandatory country-of-origin labeling on organic products and for imported goods from non-EU countries to meet the same environmental, sanitary, and production standards required of European farmers. The association also encourages consumers to choose organic products of Italian origin to support local producers and shorter supply chains.

Tags: Italy, imports, Organic