MILLS, A LINK BETWEEN AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMPTION

Conclusions

Generally speaking, the Italian milling industry, in both of the grinding divisions, appears to be undergoing a slow but progressive rationalisation, with a structural reduction of the number of plants and, in particular, of those in the lower daily output bracket. This reduction, which is important in

The Evolution Of The Italian Soft Wheat Milling Industry Has Seen A Progressive Decrease

terms of percentage even in a limited time span, contrasts with the much less emphasised variations in production capacity which, in the hard division, appear to be on the increase. Among the main factors leading to the sector rationalisation, it is necessary to cite in particular:

• The trouble in properly planning individual raw material purchasing strategies due to increasing market instability;

• The increase in some costs that are, at times, unbearable for many companies, including energy which, as we all know, weighs heavily on the company balance sheet;

• The need to comply with increasingly stringent obligations regarding both health and environment;

• The reduction in domestic demand and the resulting production overcapacity that often creates bitter competition among operators in the sector;

• The recurring cases of customer insolvency, due also to how difficult is it to obtain credit.