Italy’s Wine Sector Leads Agriculture in Insurance

Italy’s wine sector is the country’s most insured agricultural industry, with more than 2 billion euros in covered value, according to analysis presented by Ismea at Vinitaly 2026 in Verona.

The figures were discussed during two events organized by Ismea at the fair, where officials, industry groups and producers examined both export prospects and risk management in a business that remains exposed to climate shocks, market swings and changing consumer demand. The meetings took place at the Palaexpo Masaf and focused on the role of public policy, insurance tools and trade promotion in supporting one of Italy’s most important farm sectors.

Ismea said Italy kept its global leadership in wine production in 2025 with 44 million hectoliters, up 0.7%, and exports of about 21 million hectoliters. In value terms, shipments abroad reached 7.8 billion euros, making Italy the world’s second-largest wine exporter by value. About 90% of exports were wines with geographic indications, a sign that demand continues to move toward higher-quality products.

The agency also pointed to wine tourism as a growing source of demand. Recent estimates cited at the event say it involves 18 million Italians and generates about 2.5 billion euros in value.

At the same time, officials said the sector still faces major gaps in protection. Sergio Marchi, Ismea’s director general, said wine production in Italy is worth about 14 billion euros, but only around 15% of that value is insured. He said the sector is ahead of much of Italian agriculture on insurance use, but coverage remains concentrated among a limited share of farms and vineyards.

The data presented at Vinitaly showed that insurance penetration reaches about 10% of farms and less than 30% of vineyard area, with sharp regional imbalances, especially in southern Italy. Marchi said the industry needs broader use of multirisk and more flexible policies that are easier for growers to adopt.

The discussion came as the Ministry of Agriculture prepares a new OCM promotion call for the 2026-2027 campaign, with more than 98 million euros available overall. Of that amount, 22 million euros will go to national programs, while the rest will be distributed through regional and multiregional calls. The ministry said it has moved up the timetable for publishing the call and added flexibility so companies can adjust projects in a difficult international setting.

Livio Proietti, president of Ismea, said Italian wine remains one of the country’s most strategic agri-food assets because it combines quality, local identity and competitiveness abroad. He said stronger support tools are needed to help smaller producers expand into foreign markets.

The export outlook was also tied to recent free-trade agreements with Mercosur and India. Ismea said those deals could create new openings for Italian wine, including immediate tariff cuts on some sparkling wines. While those markets still account for a small share of European and Italian exports, officials said growth prospects are encouraging.

A second meeting at Vinitaly focused on risk management and credit ahead of the new Common Agricultural Policy. Marchi said climate change is increasing exposure to drought stress, heat stress, hail, frost and heavy rain, all of which can damage both yields and quality. He said Europe must invest more in prevention and insurance if it wants to expand coverage from 28 billion euros insured today to 40 billion euros in coming years.

Officials also highlighted Agricat, Italy’s mutual fund system for catastrophic losses, as part of a broader effort to link insurance, credit and other risk tools. Giuseppe Blasi, head of department at the ministry, said negotiations on the post-2027 CAP are already centered on strengthening these instruments and securing long-term funding for farms facing more frequent shocks.