The Italians fear for their national dish, pasta – the reason: Rising costs for pasta are putting more and more pressure on Italians’ wallets. The average price for pasta recently rose to 2.44 euros per kilo, which is a record, protested the consumer association Assoutenti, which filed a lawsuit.
Assoutenti demands that the price development of pasta, a staple food for Italians, be closely monitored. The increase in the pasta price cannot be explained by the price development on the international wheat market, according to the ministry.
Italy has been struggling for months with the effects of high inflation, which has weighed on food prices.
Almost 800 million euros more spent on pasta
Italian families spent almost 800 million euros more on pasta in 2022 than the year before. The reason for this is the record price rises caused by the war in Ukraine, which are putting pressure on citizens’ pockets and harming farmers, according to an analysis by the agricultural association Coldiretti.
Whether spaghetti, maccheroni, fusilli, farfalle or penne: pasta remains the undisputed queen of Italian cuisine. 3.2 million tons of pasta are produced in the country every year, Coldiretti reports. “Pasta is a symbol of world food whose success can only be compared to another Italian gastronomic product, pizza,” said a Coldiretti spokesperson.
Italians are also the largest pasta consumers. They consume 23.5 kilos of pasta per person per year, ahead of the Tunisians with 16 kilos per person and the Venezuelans with twelve kilos per year.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
