In preparation for the tenth edition in February 2026, Myplant & Garden, the most important international trade fair in Italy for professionals in the fields of floriculture, gardening, landscape, and sports greenery, confirms the positive trend in the value of Italian horticultural production, following the previews released months ago.

Value of production is growing: it’s a record

The sector continues to grow, despite the challenges posed by climate fluctuations that continue to affect agriculture in general.

According to Istat data, 2024 saw a new record in production value, exceeding 3.25 billion euros: a +3.5% increase compared to the previous year, +23% compared to five years ago, and +30.8% compared to ten years ago.

54.5% of the total value of horticultural production is attributed to the nursery sector, which surpassed 1.7 billion euros (+3.4% compared to the previous year).

The remaining 45.5% comes from the floriculture sector, which reached 1.5 billion euros (+3.5% compared to 2023).

Trend 2015-2024

Over the last ten years (in 2015, the total production was around 2.5 billion euros), the floriculture sector has seen an average annual growth of +2.8%, while the nursery sector has grown by an average of +2.6% annually.

The sector accounts for 8% of vegetable production and 5.3% of total agricultural output, represented, according to the latest agricultural census, by 20,000 businesses (9,356 operating in nurseries and 11,855 for plants and flowers).

More than 45,000 hectares of land in Italy are dedicated to floriculture and nursery production.

The TOP TEN regions with the highest horticultural production in 2024 are, in order: Tuscany, Liguria, Sicily, Lombardy, Lazio, Campania, Apulia, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto, with Friuli-Venezia Giulia close behind Piedmont for the tenth position.

All of these regions, with the exception of Campania and Apulia, recorded a production increase equal to or greater than 3%.

Horticultural production is mainly concentrated in the central and northern regions:

• Central Italy: 39% of the total value, over 1.26 billion euros (+3.5%).
• Northern Italy: 38%, over 1.23 billion euros (+4.1%).
• Southern Italy: 23%, 760 million euros (+2.8%).

CENTRAL ITALY is leading the nation’s production with a value of over 1.26 billion euros, a 3.5% increase. This growth is traditionally driven by the performance of the Tuscan region, which firmly holds the top spot in national nursery production. Tuscany accounts for 55% of the Italian market and 90% of Central Italy’s market.

The region’s aggregate production value has now surpassed one billion euros, with nursery production alone reaching 955 million euros (a 3.5% increase over 2023). This is supplemented by 59 million euros from floriculture (a 3.7% increase over 2023).

Another key region in the area, Lazio, is also showing a strong recovery. After stagnating in 2023, the region closed 2024 with a total value of 196 million euros, with a 4.4% increase in nursery production and a 2.5% increase in floricultural production.

NORTHERN ITALY‘s value exceeded 1.23 billion euros, marking a 4.1% increase.

Leading the northern regions is Liguria, the “queen of flowers,” with over 450 million euros in floricultural production alone and 8.2 million in nursery crops. Lombardy also saw positive growth (+2.6%), reaching 168 million euros in nursery production and 118 million euros (+5%) in floriculture.

Other key regions for the Northern floricultural and nursery market include:

• Emilia-Romagna (€157 million, +3.4%)
• Veneto (over €139 million, +5%)
• Piedmont (almost €89 million)
• Friuli-Venezia Giulia (almost €89 million, +4.9%), which has shown significant growth for several years.

In percentage terms, the Northeast grew more than the Northwest. However, in terms of total value, the Northwest—driven by the strong performance of Liguria and Lombardy—achieved very positive results.

THE 8 REGIONS OF SOUTHERN ITALY have reached a value of 760 million euros, an increase of 20 million or 2.8%.

After the floricultural production drops recorded last year in Apulia and Campania, both regions are back in positive territory in 2024. The sector as a whole is recovering, with a 2.6% increase in floricultural production and a 3.2% increase in nursery production.

Sicily, the productive pillar of the South, recorded good increases in both its flower and potted plant production (+4.2%) and its nursery production (+2.5%).

In terms of overall value, Sicily generated 314 million euros, Campania nearly 190 million, and Apulia almost 178 million.

Exports: Positive Balance and International Primacy

The floriculture and nursery sector is once again confirming its important role in the primary sector.

The trade balance for the sector has been consistently positive for years, despite a surge in imports in recent seasons. In 2024, imports reached 888 million euros, a 30% increase in value and a 46% increase in volume.

The constantly positive trade balance and Italy’s strong reputation make Italian floriculture and nursery products a flagship for “Made in Italy” worldwide. This position is further reinforced by the performance of Italian exports, as Italy is the third-largest exporter in the world by value.

While partial data for the first three months of 2025 show exports nearing half a billion euros, official data for 2024 records a total export value of 1.62 billion euros, a 6.3% increase in value (Istat data), with a significant increase in volume of 9.5% (2024 foreign trade of agri-food products, Crea).

70% of Italian products are destined for foreign markets, mainly in Europe. Of this, 78% goes to EU27 countries, while 13% is exported to non-EU countries.

“The numbers confirm what we see every year in the halls of our trade show: a vibrant, resilient, and constantly evolving sector,” says Valeria Randazzo, Myplant’s Exhibition Manager. “Italy continues to stand out for the quality of its floricultural and nursery production, its focus on innovation, and its ability to tackle environmental and market challenges. Myplant & Garden,” Randazzo concludes, “is proud to represent and promote this excellence in markets around the world, offering a strategic meeting point for the entire supply chain every year.”