Denomination wine leads Tuscany PDO Economy: it is worth 1-14 billion euros out of 1.32

Wine accounts for 1.14 billion euros in turnover and food for 187 million euros, for a total of 1.32 billion euros. This is the value of Tuscany PDO Economy within an agri-food sector worth 5.5 billion euros, supported by Italy leading portfolio of 90 protected designation products, including 32 food products (16 PDOs and 16 PGIs), 58 wine denominations and 2 spirit drinks. The region geographical indications sector therefore continues to represent a key source of value for more than 16,700 operators, placing Tuscany third in Italy for the economic impact of GI wines and among the country top ten regions for designation food products. With organic farmland accounting for 33.1% of the region utilized agricultural area (compared with the Italian average of 19.4%), Tuscany also boasts another positive record: one in three farms (30.4%) is managed by women, a share above the national average (27.8%). These are the findings of the report prepared by Ismea for the edition No. 8 of “BuyFood Toscana” 2026 (Florence, October 28th-29th), the event dedicated to regional agri-food products promoted by the Tuscany Region and the Florence Chamber of Commerce, and presented today in Florence during the conference “Agricoltura toscana: modello di buon vivere. Radici, qualità e valore delle produzioni Dop e Igp” - “Tuscan Agriculture: a model of good living. Roots, quality and value of PDO and PGI Productions”.
The study explains that within the food basket, 70% of production value is concentrated in three key supply chains: processed meat products (28%, equal to 53 million euros), baked goods and confectionery products (25%, 47 million euros), and cheeses (20%, 37 million euros). Alongside these, the strategic contribution of extra virgin olive oil (18%, 34 million euros) stands out, which recorded growth of 9.4% in the last year. Five flagship products alone account for 84% of the total value of Tuscany food GIs: Tuscan PGI Cantuccini (40 million euros), Tuscan PDO Pecorino (35 million euros), Tuscan PDO Prosciutto (34 million euros), Tuscan PGI Olive Oil (32 million euros), and PGI Finocchiona (15 million euros).
One of the greatest strengths of Tuscany agri-food sector is exports. With a value of 3.6 billion euros, the region accounts for 5% of Italy total wine and food exports and represents 4.7% of all goods exported from Tuscany. Nevertheless, in 2025 the sector recorded a decline of 7.8%, moving against the trend of the national agri-food industry (+4.9%) and overall Tuscan exports (+21.3%, driven by manufacturing). According to Ismea, this performance was more heavily affected than elsewhere by geopolitical uncertainty, US tariff barriers, which impact a market accounting for nearly one-quarter of Tuscan sales, and the natural correction in extra virgin olive oil prices following the record price increases of 2024 caused by product shortages. The United States remains the leading destination market for Tuscan agri-food products, accounting for 23.2% of regional exports and more than 11.2% of total Italian food and wine exports to the country. Tuscan-led Italian extra virgin olive oil holds a 36.9% share of US imports, with average prices 15% higher than those of Spanish and Tunisian competitors.
More broadly, the United States, Germany and France together account for 44.8% of Tuscany foreign sales. Alongside this, exports of Tuscan food GIs alone reach 91 million euros. 53% of this value is shipped to non-EU countries, led by the United States (34 million euros), the United Kingdom (6 million euros) and Canada (4 million euros). EU markets account for the remaining 47%, led by Germany (31 million euros), France (3 million euros) and the Netherlands (2 million euros).
Yet behind these economic figures lies, above all, a vibrant ecosystem made up of 41,500 businesses and 67,000 workers employed across farms and food-processing facilities. This production network manages 549,000 hectares of land, two-thirds devoted to cereals and forage crops and one-quarter to Tuscany iconic olive groves and vineyards. Tuscany is also leading Europe ecological transition, with 238,000 hectares under organic cultivation and organic farming accounting for 33.1% of the region utilized agricultural area, compared with the Italian average of 19.4%. This achievement exceeds EU 2030 targets well ahead of schedule, supported by 13 organic districts and Italy second-largest integrated supply chain combining farming and processing activities.
Furthermore, with 5,859 establishments, Tuscany is by far Italy leading agritourism region, accounting for more than 22% of the national offering. This form of tourism is inextricably linked to food and wine, with half of all agritourism businesses directly producing PDO or PGI products and more than 40% operating organically. The sector attracts 1.4 million arrivals and over 5 million overnight stays, more than 70% of which are international, by offering authentic farm-to-table experiences.
Providing the scientific basis for the connection between health and territory, there was professor Pier Luigi Rossi, a physician specialising in Nutritional Science and lecturer at the University of Siena who spoke during the panel discussion “Dal gusto alla destinazione: un viaggio nel viaggio” - “From taste to destination: a journey within the journey” moderated by Licia Colò (whose interview with WineNews will soon be available online), he encouraged audiences to move beyond simply counting calories and instead focus on the “molecular quality” of food. As Rossi explained, the human body is nourished not by calories but by bioactive molecules such as polyphenols and antioxidants, which support longevity and disease prevention. These compounds originate from healthy soils and non-intensive farming practices, making the terroir of Tuscany PDO and PGI products a tangible guarantee of well-being at the table.