The production of legumes in Italy is beginning to grow again, yet it suffers from foreign competition ‘low-cost’
The cultivation of leguminous plants in Italy, drastically decreased since the 1960s, is growing again. Especially for chickpeas and lentils. The recovery is however threatened by foreign competition ‘low-cost’, which continues to dominate the national market.
Dependence on foreign legumes does not help the preservation of Italian soils. Leguminous plants – beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, broad beans – are indeed a valuable resource for agricultural land. Since protein crops, sown in rotation with cereals like wheat, naturally enrich the soil.
Legumes, a trend reversal in Italy
The national production of chickpeas and lentils is bringing Italy back to a leading role. Eighth in Europe, with about 200,000 tons of product, in the overall production of dry legumes. This is what emerges from the report on legumes and protein crops – in the global, European, and Italian markets – presented in Bologna on 5.10.18 by the Areté research institute, on behalf of the Alliance of Agro-food Cooperatives.
In 2017, about 100,000 hectares cultivated in the Bel Paese (+35%) produced 190,000 tons (+37%) of legumes. Particularly notable is the increase in chickpea crops (+72%, second in Europe only to Spain), lentils (+60%, fifth European production), and peas (+52%).
The value of legumes in the field
The production of dry legumes in Italy has undergone a drastic decline in the last half-century. From 640,000 tons formerly to 135,000 tons in 2010, there has been an 81% contraction. This has inevitably led to the impoverishment of agricultural soils.
Legumes fix indeed nitrogen to the soils where they are grown. This characteristic has led to defining them as ‘improving’ crops, since they can improve the productivity of agricultural land. In rotation with cereals (soft and hard wheat, barley, spelt, rye), they reduce the use of pesticides. (1)
Foreign competition ‘low-cost’
Despite the recovery of local crops, the Italian legume market continues to depend on foreign countries significantly. In 2016, our country imported 65% of legumes used for direct consumption and further processing. Almost double compared to the European average, which stands at 33%.
The price of foreign legumes is undoubtedly competitive. Their large-scale production has drastically lower costs, even though the areas are less suited to these crops. To the point that drying, in cold climates (Canada and Central Asia), is carried out using chemicals instead of natural methods.
The absence of information onorigin on the label in turn plays a decisive role in consumers’ unaware choices, who would certainly be inclined to favor purchasing food Made in Italy (especially since these are commodities, inexpensive plant proteins). But the regulation ‘Planet Earth Origin’ has in fact excluded – or at least nullified, with totally generic statements (‘EU/non-EU) – the obligation to indicate the origin of the primary ingredient. (2)
Unaware consumers will therefore continue to predominantly buy legumes dried with pesticides in distant countries. Until they are put in the position to make truly informed choices, thanks to the mandatory indication on the label of the origin of raw materials. As European citizens actually ask for, in the popular initiative ‘Eat ORIGINAL! Unmask your food', which Great Italian Food Trade supports without reservation.
Marta Strinati and Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) Cf. ‘Minor legumes (chickpea, lentil, grass pea, fava bean)’, monograph edited by Massimo Zaccardelli and others, 2009, on https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/e%252F1%252F7%252FD.070973f9d78d99d49494/P/BLOB%3AID%3D9712/E/pdf
(2) See EU regulation 2018/775
Professional journalist since January 1995, she has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and magazines (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). Author of journalistic investigations on food, she published the volume 'Reading labels to know what we eat'.
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
