How can this apparent contradiction be explained? Why, despite the reduction in cultivated surface area, does the price of agricultural land and, in particular, vineyards continue to rise?
Farmland Prices Rise
The Italian land market has seen a constant increase in prices in recent years, with peaks not seen since 2009. In Tuscany, for example, in 2023 the average price for one hectare of agricultural land reached 18,300 euros, compared to 18,100 euros the previous year (1.4%). However, the sales market has slowed down after the post-pandemic boom, due to the economic crisis aggravated by the war in Ukraine, the increase in production costs and the stagnation of agricultural prices.
According to Coldiretti Toscana, the price dynamics are very different depending on the type of land: on the one hand, marginal or less productive areas risk abandonment and require incentives and facilities for purchase, such as the Ismea Land Bank; on the other, the most valuable lands, such as those suitable for intensive olive growing and DOC and DOCG viticulture, are increasingly in demand. This trend is also due to the difficulty in obtaining new authorizations to plant vineyards.
At the provincial level, in Tuscany increases higher than the national average were recorded in Florence (2.6%) and Livorno (2.4%). The case of DOC and DOCG vineyards is particularly significant, where one hectare in the Bolgheri DOC area can reach one million euros (average price of 500,000 euros), while vineyards intended for the production of Brunello di Montalcino can be worth up to 400,000 euros per hectare. The land intended for floriculture in Viareggio (110,000 euros per hectare) and the horticultural and floricultural land in the Piana di Lucca (72,800 euros per hectare) also confirm this trend.
Who Sells and Who Buys?
Another interesting aspect concerns the profiles of those who sell and those who buy agricultural land. The current sellers are often elderly farmers, without successors, or entrepreneurs who can no longer sustain the costs of agricultural production and need liquidity. On the other hand, buyers are increasingly non-agricultural operators, many of whom are foreigners, or farmers who intend to expand their business.
The Importance of a 100% Made in Italy Supply Chain
Faced with this situation, it is natural to ask: why not go back to cultivating these abandoned hectares of land? Italian agriculture is recognized throughout the world for the quality of its products, and a supply chain entirely Made in Italy would guarantee the maintenance of this excellence. Of course, the products could cost a little more, but their value would be indisputable and international demand confirms that the Italian brand is synonymous with quality.
Who Should Cultivate the Land? The Role of Young People
One of the main obstacles to the recovery of agriculture in Italy is the lack of young workers. Fewer and fewer young people are choosing to undertake an agricultural career, preferring office jobs or more comfortable ones. This trend must be reversed: it is necessary to involve the new generations in the agricultural sector starting from school, providing them with adequate training and facilities for purchasing or managing land.
As peasant wisdom once said: "Remember, son, the land will always feed you . " Today this truth is more relevant than ever. If we do not transmit to young people the value of land and agriculture, we risk losing a cultural and economic heritage that is fundamental for our country.
Investing in agricultural training and encouraging young people to work in the fields is a strategy that must start from elementary schools and reach all the way to university. Only in this way can we guarantee a sustainable future for our agriculture and give new life to the millions of hectares that are abandoned today.
Conclusion
Italian agriculture is going through a transformation. On the one hand, the increase in agricultural land prices shows that the value of land has never been so high, especially for vineyards and quality crops. On the other hand, the decline in cultivated areas and the lack of young farmers represent important challenges for the future of the sector.
The solution? Incentivize the cultivation of abandoned lands, support the Made in Italy supply chain and, above all, invest in the training of young people to ensure a generational turnover. Only in this way can Italian agriculture continue to be a pillar of our country's economy and culture.
