VIDEO | Sana opens in Bologna, the 'organic revolution' in Italy is worth 5 billion

The 35th edition of the exhibition dedicated to organic and natural products has 650 exhibiting companies

ROME – A domestic market that in 2023 alone will have almost 5 and a half billion euros in sales, with a growth of 9% compared to last year, and exports of more than 3.6 billion.These are the numbers of 'organic' in Italy that are arriving on the occasion of the opening of Sana in Bologna, the salon dedicated to organic and natural products. An increasingly growing sector that travels under the sign of sustainability, from agriculture to cosmetics.

With the ribbon cutting today of the 35th edition, which will continue until Sunday, the event presents itself well 650 exhibiting companies, of which 15% foreign, and it is an opportunity to take stock of the trend of the sector, including priorities and trends.

“Today talking about organic, sustainability and personal well-being is a highly topical topic, compared to 35 years ago less so– recalls Gianpiero Calzolari, number one at BolognaFiere – certainly those who started have the merit of having had a great intuition.In these 35 years, Sana has become a point of reference for what was first a movement and today is a widespread culture.That of great attention to organic issues, but consequently to the entire issue of sustainability, which we must deal with.Also because the planet asks us to do so."

The show opened this morning with the General States of Organic “Organic Revolution 2023”, which in addition to Calzolari himself was also attended by Enzo Angeloni, general director for the promotion of the country system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Luigi D'Eramo, undersecretary for Agricultural Policies with responsibility for organic farming, and the councilors for Agriculture of the Municipality and of the Region Daniele Ara and Alessio Mammi.During the event, data from the Sana Observatory were presented with the coordination of Nomisma.Numbers that demonstrate the growth of Italian organic produce.Organic food sales in the domestic market have in fact exceeded 5 billion euros and represent 4% of global organic retail sales.Driving the growth of the market are consumption outside the home which is close to 1.3 billion euros, marking a growth of +18% compared to 2022 and linked to the leap forward in prices.However, the recovery in domestic consumption is fundamental, which, after the slight decline last year (-0.8% in value compared to 2021), recorded a change of +7%.But why do consumers buy organic products?First of all because they consider them safer for health than a conventional product (27%), but also because they are sustainable:23% consider them more respectful of the environment, 10% of animal welfare and a further 10% refer to social sustainability and intend to support small producers.

Italy, with over 2.3 million hectares and the highest percentage of organic surfaces out of the total (19% against a European average of 12%), is now close to the target of 25% of surfaces invested in organic farming, envisaged by the Farm to Fork Strategy for 2030.Organized by BolognaFiere in collaboration with FederBio, AssoBio and Cosmetica Italia, Sana is presented this year in a new B2b guise.Among the pavilions, there is space for the “Organic & Natural Food” areas, with the best products for an organic, healthy and sustainable diet, with a controlled supply chain, vegan and vegetarian, and aimed at those suffering from intolerances, “Care & Beauty”, focused on natural and organic products and cosmetics for body care, including supplements and medicinal herbs, and the "Green Lifestyle" section.Then continue the appointment with Sanatech, the professional exhibition on organic and precision agriculture, traceability, circular economy and technologies for natural cosmetics, opening up to emerging themes such as the world of bio-control and the bio-packaging sector.And again, events on the blockchain and attention to habits and lifestyles based on sustainability, ranging from furnishing accessories to home cleaning, from eco-packaging to sustainable fashion.

During the 35th edition of Sana there will also be four in-depth focuses conceived and organized around the most current topics for the sector:scheduled, two important innovations related to intolerances et al vegan world, and two confirmations linked to the moments of consumption of the breakfast And of the aperitif.