There are over 200 wholesale markets and food and agricultural centres in Italy involving thousands of companies. The turnover can be estimated at €7-8 billion and they provide work to hundreds of thousands of operators.
Campania is the region with the highest number of public wholesale markets, Emilia-Romagna is the one with most mixed-management markets and Sicily is the one with most privately-managed markets.
These facilities support various local markets in urban centres (around 500 around 60 main cities) and supply the restaurant business, which contributes to strengthening the tourist sector as well as activities relating to culture, the environment and entertainment.
"Maybe there are too many markets and not all of them are well managed. Territorial policies are needed on a national and regional level that include development strategies aiming at the logistic-economic-commercial rationalisation of wholesale markets," explains Pietro Cernigliaro, President of Andmi.
"A project is needed not only to bring up to date the facilities from a technological and managerial point of view, but also to get to know their real economic situation and degree of efficiency."
"All parties involved - both private and public - must cooperate and use the experience of other European countries. We recommend collaborating with the Association of German markets in the first place as well as with other organisations in France and Spain."