After two years of sustained growth in national exports (+19.2% in 2021 and +20.2% in 2022), largely attributable to the post-Covid recovery phase, in 2023 national exports recorded a decline arrest, effectively confirming the level of sales on foreign markets achieved in the previous year (the increase over 2022 was only 10 million euros). Only thanks to the marked decline in imports (-10.4%), the trade balance in 2023 was positive and equal to +34 billion euros, the same absolute value achieved in 2022, but with the negative sign ahead.
The South flies
Given the stationary dynamics of national exports in 2023, very different territorial dynamics are highlighted: strong increase in exports to the South (+16.9%) and more limited for the North-West (+2.4), while recorded a decline for the North-East (-0.8) and the Center (-3.1) and a clear contraction for the Islands (-19.2). The most dynamic regions for exports in 2023 were Campania (+29.2%), Calabria (+22.7), Molise (+21), Abruzzo (+13.6), Piedmont (+7.3), Basilicata (+5.4) and Tuscany (+4.7). On the contrary, those that achieved the most marked reductions were Sardinia (-24.2%), Valle d’Aosta (-21.5), Sicily (-16.6), Friuli-Venezia Giulia (-13.6) , Marche (-12.3) and Lazio (-9.7). The territorial export data relating to the first quarter of 2024 recently published by Istat show, in a context of decline in national exports compared to the first quarter of 2023 (-2.8%), a marked growth for the Islands (+8.9 ) and an increase for the South (+4.3%), while the North-East (-2.4) and the North-West (-3.4) show a decline and the Center (-10.4) a sharp contraction. At a regional level, exports from Marche (-55.5%), Basilicata (-35.3) and Liguria (-14.7) contract in the first quarter of 2024, while exports are growing markedly for Calabria (+ 26.9), Molise (+22.2), Abruzzo (+12.4) and Campania (+9.6).
The scenery in Puglia
In the first quarter of 2024, Puglia’s exports decreased by 5.1% compared to the first quarter of 2023 and this determined a reduction in their weight on national exports which went from 1.6 to 1.5%. As regards the Apulian export sectors that contribute most to national exports, foreign sales of food, drink and tobacco products grew by over 20 points, with a contribution to national exports of the sector going from 2.6 to 2. ,9%. Also growing, but with a much more limited dynamic (+0.3%), are the exports of agricultural, forestry and fishing products from Puglia, whose contribution to national exports is equal to 6%. However, exports from Puglia of mineral extraction products from quarries and mines are in sharp decline, reducing by over 50% in the first quarter of 2024, consequently Puglia’s contribution to national exports of these products is reduced from 20 .3 to 14%.
The other sectors
As regards exports from Puglia to the other main manufacturing sectors, in the first quarter of 2024 there was a marked decline in furniture sales (-7.7%) with a share of national exports which however remains constant and equal to 3.3 %, and a strong reduction in means of transport (-16) with a share of Apulian exports on the national total of the sector reducing from 3.4 to 2.7%. On the other hand, sales abroad from Puglia of rubber articles are expanding (+4.6%) with a share of the sector’s national exports going from 2.2 to 2.4%, and of products from treatment activities of waste and remediation (+5.1) with a growing share of national exports (from 1.5 to 1.6). On the other hand, sales from Puglia of leather and similar items (-2.4%) and of rubber and plastic items (-1) are decreasing. These sectors are, however, characterized by Puglia’s growing share of national exports, which highlights how Puglia’s exports have resisted the decline in foreign sales of products better than other regions.
Stefano Menghiniello is central director of Istat
