Lombardy

Lombardy Agribusiness - The Productive Structure

There are approximately 70.000 Lombardian agribusiness companies with more than 229.000 workers - of which 150.000 are permanently employed - representing 4,3% of the regional workforce. Localization of the Lombardian food and beverage industry shows a clear dominance in the province of Milan and Brescia; 26.5% of regional firms are concentrated in Milan. Representing more than 64% of the Lombardian food production, the distribution of employees within the food business is concentrated in the provinces of Milan, Brescia, Cremona and Mantua, followed by Bergamo, Varese, Pavia, Como, Sondrio, Lecco, Lodi.

In Lombardy there are about 57.000 farms, which occupy an agricultural area of 1,200,000 hectares.The average size of farms in Lombardy is 17 hectares while the national size has an average of 7 hectares.

The zootechnical companies represent 39% of the total agribusiness companies in the given area. There are right above 15.000 cattle farms, while the pig farms amount to around 4000.

Both kinds of farms decrease in number compared to previous years, while there is a sharp increase in their average size: 100 animals in cattle farms (more than twice the national average) and 1000 animals in pig farms (the national figure is 90).

The agricultural employment is about 70.000 of which 58% are self-employed and the remaining 41.8% are employees.

Agricultural employment is concentrated to about one quarter in Brescia, over 50% of total employment is attributable to five other provinces (Mantua, Cremona, Milan, Pavia and Bergamo) and the remaining five provinces divide about 24%. Over the last decade the share of agricultural employment in Lombardy increased from 5,9 to 8, 9% of the national total.

ECONOMIC VALUES

The agricultural output at basic prices is equal to more than 6.3 billion euro, with an incidence of 14% of the national total. The principal three agricultural provinces are Brescia, Cremona and Mantova.

The value of food production is about 11.5 billion euro, with an incidence of 15.6% of the national total.

Regarding foreign trade, Lombardy contributes to national exports of food products with a share of 17.1% - an increase from previous numbers  - and with a share of 25.9% on imports.

The agri-food imports account for 8.2% of total imports of Lombardy, while exports amount to 5.1%.

TYPICAL LOMBARDIAN PRODUCTS

Lombardy accounts for 15% of the national food production, thus makes it the leader region of food production in Italy. The Lombardian production is characterized by high quality. The designations of origin (twenty-two DOP and IGP) are found mainly in the production of cheese and meat, in which the region covers 25% of nationally recognized designations. In 2007, the Lombardian production of DOP cheese accounted for 40% of the total production of the dairy industry.

Also the wine production, with five DOCG and twenty-one DOC is characterized by a high quality production. This quality production is proved by the high the significant number of denominations of DOC and DOCG wines in Lombardy; approximately 60% of the total wine production which is almost twice the national level.

The list of products

• The dairy sector includes eleven DOP products, which represent different types of cheeses, all cows-milk: from matured cheeses (Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Provolone) those short-maturing (Taleggio, Quartirolo Lombardo, Salva Cremasco, Formaggella del Luinese) and blue cheeses (Gorgonzola); mountain products (Bitto, Valtellina Casera, Formai de Mut dell’Alta Val Brembana);
• The list of salami includes: Salame Brianza Salame di Varzi DOP, the Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora, and six IGP products: Bresaola della Valtellina, Cremona, Salame, Mortadella Bologna, Cotechino Modena, Modena and Zampone Salame d'oca di Mortara.
• Fruit and vegetable sector: extra virgin olive oils; Laghi Lombardi DOP and “Garda” DOP, Pera Mantovana IGP, and La mela di Valtellina IGP.
• Fisheries sector: Salmerino del Trentino DOP and Trota del Trentino DOP
• The region of Lombardy produces a high volume (80% of national total) of quality wines, DOC and DOCG. The high percentage of protected designations of origin (five DOCG , twenty-one DOC and fifteen IGT) shows how the Lombard wine signify high quality of the wine. The list of denominations DOCG includes: Franciacorta, Valtellina Superiore di Valtellina Sforzato, Oltrepò Classic Method and Moscato di Scanzo. DOC wines includes: Botticino, Capriano del Colle, Cellatica, Garda, Garda Bresciano, Garda Colli Mantovani, Lambrusco Mantovano, Lugana, Oltrepò Pavese, Rosso di Valtellina, San Columbano, San Martino della Battaglia, Terre di Franciacorta, Valcalepio, Bonarda dell'Oltrepo Pavese, Oltrepo Pavese Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero dell'Oltrepo Pavese, Casteggio, Buttafuoco dell'Oltrepo Pavese, Sangue di Giuda dell'Oltrepo Pavese, Curtefranca.

More than 238 traditional products are approved by the Region, among which we can mention “Il Bagoss”, “Il Violino”, “La Slinzegha”, “Il Salame Cremonese”, “Il Torrone di Cremona” “I Pizzoccheri della Valtellina” along with honey and rice.

The Lombardian Roads of Wine and Food

The Lombardy Region has been one of the first in Italy to develop the idea of the Wine Roads, promoting the implementation of a coordinated system of trails, which currently consists of twelve Lombardian “Roads of Wine and Food”. The aim of these roads is the enhancement and promotion of local food and wine, and quality in the tradition and culture of their lands of origin.

• Lombardy Companies