«La vera sfida è ottimizzare sempre di più i processi produttivi. Noi ci impegneremo a continuare a produrre in modo competitivo e sostenibile, garantendo sicurezza alimentare, standard elevati e capacità di investimento»
“Poultry meat and eggs are currently enjoying a very positive period,” explains the president of Unaitalia, Antonio Forlini. Our products are seeing a substantial increase in demand for health reasons (a significant protein content with low fat), economic reasons (excellent value for money) and religious reasons (the growing presence of Muslim immigrants). This growth certainly does not appear to be a passing trend.”
Per capita consumption of poultry meat in the EU reached 29.3 kilograms, representing a 9.3 per cent increase since 2020, against a 5.6 per cent rise in production. Looking ahead, Rabobank forecasts consumption growth of 2 per cent per year until 2032, whilst globally, consumption is estimated to grow by 25 per cent by 2035. “Our main challenge will therefore be to equip ourselves to meet the demands of new consumer segments with ‘Made in Italy’ products,” continues Forlini. And in this regard, the burden cannot fall solely on the – albeit broad – shoulders of the Italian poultry industry.
Italian manufacturers ready to take on the challenge
“Italia is starting from a favourable position,” Forlini continues, “that of a self-sufficient supply chain. It is a fundamental asset that should not be taken for granted. We must be ready to meet this growing demand by producing more. However, the real challenge is not simply to keep up with demand, but to continually optimise production processes. We are committed to continuing to produce in a competitive and sustainable manner, ensuring food safety, high standards and investment capacity. We therefore need clear planning and long-term policies. But we also need a helping hand from Brussels, which, faced with a stringent regulatory framework and rising production costs, must at the very least introduce significant bureaucratic simplification. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to ensure high production standards in the future, given high costs and unsustainable bureaucracy’.
In 2025, the total turnover of the national poultry sector (meat and eggs) recorded significant growth, standing at approximately 9.74 billion euros, with 14.3 per cent of this turnover generated in foreign markets. More specifically, turnover from poultry meat is estimated at €6.02 billion, whilst the eggs sector reached €3.73 billion.
There are around 6,800 farms and processing businesses in the poultry sector, employing a total of around 64,000 people, of whom 38,500 work in rearing and 25,500 in the processing of meat and eggs.
