Italy: New analysis describes challenges and recovery in canned tuna sector

by Eurofish
canned tuna salad

Canned tuna is in nearly every European household’s pantry; it is consumed by more people—albeit in smaller volumes per capita—than any other seafood. Europe’s two tuna giants, Spain and Italy, produce and export their popular canned fish to all of Europe, the Americas, and beyond. A new report on the industry in Italy provides a thorough description of the forces behind its recent challenges and its renewed current condition. The data come from the Milan-headquartered National Association of Fish Canners and Tuna Fisheries, (l’Associazione Nazionale dei Conservieri Ittici e delle Tonnare, or ANCIT), which represents 95% of the companies that produce and distribute canned fish on the Italian market: canned tuna, anchovies in salt and oil, mackerel, salmon, and other preserved fishery products. Tuna, mostly canned, is the association’s largest product. The analysis covers industry trends from 2019 through 2023.

Overall, the volume of industry output during 2019-2023 was hit by the mix in setbacks forced upon the industry—and indeed the whole economy—by the pandemic, Russia’s war against Ukraine, price shocks in the energy sector, and other economic challenges. Gross revenue is much higher despite the fact volume has only just returned to pre-2019 levels because of high inflation in Italy and key export markets. Net revenue has failed to rise because inflation also includes higher input prices for energy, materials, and other costs. By value, Italian canned tuna sales totalled 1,674 million euros, marking an increase of 8% compared to 2022 and 26.34% compared to 2019. Production volume of 73,581 tonnes in 2023 was slightly lower than 2019. However, export volume rose to 27,926 tonnes, an increase of 8.65% from 2019. This positive trend in exports demonstrates the solidity and competitiveness of Italian tuna on international markets.

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Volume growth showed a decline in 2022-2023 because of the effects of high inflation on a reluctant consumer base, but the president of ANCIT, Giovanni Battista Valsecchi, described this brief period as “an adjustment phase, underlining the difficulties but also the opportunities for relaunching that the sector is trying to seize.” These opportunities for Italian tuna canners include expanded use of byproducts or former waste to make value-added products in consumer and industrial product lines, such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Valsecchi explained: “We use every part of the fish, transforming what could be considered waste into valuable products. This not only reduces environmental impact, but also creates new economic opportunities.” This expansion into non-food co-products also helps the “circular economy,” said Valsecchi. Half of what used to be waste in fish canning can now be used to make products and make money, improving the sustainability of both the industry and the environment.

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