Italy
|
| AGRICULTURE |
|
Italian agriculture represents 21% of the European production and it is ranked second after France. However, the good results registered for a decade must not block the necessity of a serious reform of the sector, severely handicapped by the multiplicity of farms and by the aging of the agricultural population. Besides, 200,000 farms considered as professionals, on the 3,000,000 listed, possess half of the agricultural surface exploited and generate 65% of the agricultural income.
Agricultural population (in thousands)
Total population
57 346
Agricultural population
2 505
Non agricultural population
54 841
Source : 2004, FAOSTAT
Land use
Cultivated surface area
15 074 000
Irrigated surface area
2 750 000
Number of farms
1 728 530
Number of tractors
1 680 000
Source : 2003, FAOSTAT
Production indicators
Main crops
| Product | Production (in thousands) | Harvested surface (1000 ha) | Yield by hectare (kg/ha) |
| Sugar beet | 14156 | 253 | 55942 |
| Maize | 10510 | 1119 | 9388 |
| Grapes | 8554 | 838 | 10209 |
| Wheat | 7717 | 2123 | 3635 |
| Tomatoes | 7187 | 139 | 51796 |
Source : 2005, FAOSTAT
Livestock
| Specie | Headcount (in thousands) |
| Chickens | 100000 |
| Rabbits and hares | 68000 |
| Turkeys | 26000 |
| Pigs | 9200 |
| Sheep | 7954 |
Source : 2005, FAOSTAT
Fishing (in metric tons)
| Shellfish, mollusks and cephalopods | Saltwater fish | Freshwater fish |
| 222 496 | 219 214 | 3 522 |
Source : 2005, FAOSTAT