VIDEO | Tecnè research:agri-food businesses and workers promote the government

Research on the perception of national policies in the sector in the agro-industrial sectors of Italy, France and Poland

ROME – Today, in the Sala Caduti di Nassiriya of the Senate, the research, conducted by Tecnè, on the perception of national policies in the agri-food sector by workers and businesses in the agro-industrial sectors of Italy, France and Poland was presented.A research born with the aim of investigating the dynamics, challenges and expectations of the agricultural sector in these countries, providing a solid knowledge base for the development of effective European agricultural policies.

The survey shows that the Italian government's policies are perceived as effective by 63.5% of companies, compared to 39.3% who evaluate the European ones positively.In Poland the percentage drops to 50.4%, while in France it stands at 41.2%. Competition with non-EU agri-food production has a strong impact on the sector (89.6%), and is perceived as unfair due to the absence of common production standards, which makes it difficult to compete with low-cost products.The sector therefore requires regulation that guarantees equal conditions and principles of reciprocity.

Sustainability is a strong value for agricultural businesses, with a perceived level of adherence of 92%.

The importance of protecting typical Italian products is highlighted by 96.3% of those interviewed, who consider the protection of geographical indications (PGI, DOP, DOC) to be fundamental.Furthermore, the protection of the Made in Italy brand is a priority for 97.5% of companies.However, concerns about climate change are high, involving 82% of respondents.

Under the Meloni government, 63.2% of companies perceived an improvement in the agro-industrial sector, with a positive evaluation of 68.9% on protection from non-EU competitors.
However, only 34.9% believe that European policies offer sufficient protection for typical Italian productions.

On the workers front, for 65.6% the main problem is low wages, followed by extended working hours (57.4%).Government policies to support the sector are perceived positively by 53.5% of Italian workers employed in the agri-food sector, while 70% evaluate European policies negatively.Only 40.3% of French workers have a positive perception of their government's policies, while in Poland 49.3% of workers express a positive opinion.

Competition from foreign producers affects 81.4% of workers, and only 51% find current working conditions satisfactory.Despite this, the high quality of Italian products and the importance of certifications are recognized by 90% and 92.9% of interviewees respectively.

Transparency and traceability along the agri-food supply chain are satisfactory for 68.4% of workers. However, immigration and its impact on labor availability generate conflicting opinions, with a negative perception for 60.3%.Compared to the past, 55.1% of workers note an improvement in government policies, and the perception of support for Italian exports is relatively high, even compared to that found in other European countries.

In the three countries analyzed, immigration and its impact on the agro-industrial sector have a significant impact:Italy 73.2%, France 72.8%, Poland 67.4%.Furthermore, EU policies are insufficient to protect small producers from international challenges.The analysis shows how the actions undertaken by the Italian Government in the agro-industrial sector are perceived in a significantly positive way, exceeding the perceptions of France and Poland in multiple key areas:from support to agro-industrial policies to the promotion of the national brand and typical products, up to protection against foreign competition and the perceived improvement compared to past policies.These results indicate a trend of approval that places Italy in a leadership position in the support and protection of the agro-industrial sector according to the perception of both workers and companies.

The event was attended by Senator Luca De Carlo, president of the 9th Commission 'Industry, commerce, tourism, agriculture and agri-food production' of the Senate of the Republic, the president of the Tecnè Research Institute, Carlo Buttaroni and the Honorable Marco Cerreto , FdI group leader in the Agriculture Committee of the Chamber.