Il tesoro agricolo del Mezzogiorno

This paper deals with the importance of the Italian agricultural sector and, in particular, focuses on the production of fresh vegetables and the primary food processing related to the “Mediterranean diet”, highlighting the fundamental contribution of the Southern Italy (also known as “Mezzogiorno”). European and international comparisons highlight the prominent role of Italy in Europe, especially thanks to the Southern Italy: this role should be valued much more on a strategic and programmatic level and also to enhance its image internationally. In the first section, it is noted that Italy is the best performing country in Europe, considering this perimeter of commodities and first processing products: durum wheat, rice, vegetables, fruit, oil and wine; the South contributes greatly to these productions from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. In the second section, production value data from agricultural crops in Southern Italy are examined in detail, with reference to: totalcrop output, durum wheat, fresh vegetables, citrus fruits, wines, olive oil. In the third section, analyzing the production in quantity data, the productive specializations and agricultural clusters (i.e. the leading regions and provinces) of the Southern Italy are identified for products of particular value or relevance, namely: artichokes, fennel, eggplants, tomatoes, endives, apricots, table grapes, wine grapes, durum wheat, other vegetable productions.