More and more Italians are putting biological food on their tables. According to research done by Coldiretti, the largest agricultural oganisation in Italy, 6 per cent more Italians choose biological products compared to last years figures.

In supermarkets throughout the country, at least one biological product is present in seven trolleys out of ten with over a million bio-meals prepared in Italy in 2005. This translates to a turnover of 1,5 billion, equal to 2 per cent of the total Italian food market.

This year also saw a 21 per cent increase in the number of organic agricultural producers and distributors within the country.

With over a million hectares of land reserved for biological cultivation, Italy is ahead of its European neighbours such as Germany (800,000 biologically cultivated areas) and Spain (750,000).

According to the Coldiretti, over 70 per cent of biologically-reserved areas in Italy are devoted to pasture and grazing land for animals, followed by cultivation of olives, citrus, fruit and vines.

The highest presence of biologically-specialised companies are registered in Puglia and Sicily

In 2005, some 200,000 cattle, 32 000 pigs and 100 000 chickens were biologically-reared in Italy.