Agro-food

Typical and high quality products and processes, still tied to tradition, alongside an industrial fabric specialised in large-scale consumer production and food processing machinery. This is the Emilia-Romagna of PGI and PDO products (with over twenty), of the culatello di Zibello, the balsamic vinegar of Modena and the parmesan Parmigiano reggiano, while boasting specialist skills in food system engineering: between Reggio and Modena, there is the highest concentration of production of agricultural machinery in Italy, from Bologna through to Parma, the production of industrial and food product packaging machinery competes on a worldwide level.

The production of machinery naturally support all productions around the region: the dairy products industry and that of conserves in particular in Parma, together with poultry farming in the Forlì area and the production of fruit in Romagna.

The agro-food sector is the one that features the highest variety of businesses and the spirit of cooperation typical of the region. The central role of the cooperative companies is worth noting, still dominant in many activities of the processing and sales of agricultural products, alongside the major companies, but also numerous forms of associations among minor businesses. There is also a significant presence of institutional initiatives for public-private collaboration for the valorisation and improvement of products.

In this productive scenario, the Emilia-Romagna food industry, despite having to face the impact of a critical phase in the early 2000s, in 2001 already employed more than 150 thousand people. Just agriculture and zoo-technology alone boasted 190 thousand companies. On a national level, Emilia-Romagna represents 15% of the sector.

The agro-food cluster - Vegetable productions - Number employed 2006 (Istat-Asia)