In 2025, the Italian apple will confirm its central role in the national fruit and vegetable sector, combining varietal tradition, product innovation, and a now structural international competitiveness. This is what emerges from the Monitoring Average Production Costs in Agriculture: Apples 2025 elaborated by ISMEA, which photographs an overall positive campaign from a production, qualitative and commercial point of view.
National apple production is estimated at 2.317.715 tons, essentially stable compared to 2024 and up 5% compared to the 2022-2024 average. This result reflects the robust acreage and favorable climate conditions in the main growing areas, from Trentino-Alto Adige to the Annurca region of Campania, with quality levels deemed very good for all major cultivars.
From a varietal perspective, Golden Delicious remains the cornerstone of the Italian production system, followed by the Gala group and historic varieties such as Granny Smith, Fuji, and Red Delicious. However, alongside these, the monitoring highlights a key finding for the sector's future positioning: new varieties total more than 300 tons, highlighting a trend toward product renewal aimed at greater differentiation, added value, and responsiveness to evolving consumer preferences.
Even on the domestic sales front, Golden and Gala continue to lead retail sales, while other varieties hold up well depending on seasonality and consumer segments, confirming the flexibility of the Italian assortment.
The real strength, however, remains its international positioning. In the 2024/25 crop year, Italy recorded a record trade balance of approximately €1,146 billion, thanks to exports of over 1,06 billion kilograms of apples. Compared to the previous season, the balance increased by 19%, driven by a 24% increase in export volumes. These figures place Italy first in the world in terms of apple export value, with an estimated 16% share of global trade.
Public policies also contribute to supporting the competitiveness of the supply chain. MASAF intervenes through tools such as Supply Chain Contracts, largely funded by PNRR resources, which have mobilized over €563 million in public funding for the fruit and vegetable sector, out of a total investment of €893 million. This is complemented by structural support from the CAP through the OP and AOP operational programs and PNRR interventions on agri-food logistics, which have also involved entities such as Melinda Consortium.
Overall, the picture outlined by ISMEA paints a picture of a solid, innovation-oriented apple industry, increasingly capable of competing on global markets without sacrificing its production roots.
