Italy has decided to face the heat by eating more fruit: the leap forward in consumption was +20% in fruit and vegetable consumption in the last month compared to the previous month, driven by the high summer temperatures that increase the feeling of thirst and the desire for coolness. This was estimated by Coldiretti, the largest association representing and assisting Italian agriculture, based on indications of Italians' purchases in July. As the Confederation explained, "the recovery in consumption is important after fruit and vegetable consumption fell by 8 percent in the first three months of 2023 with each Italian who, regardless of age, ate of the year almost 2 kilos less than in the same period last year, according to Coldiretti elaborations on CSO Italy data. This cut weighs heavily, after fruit and vegetable purchases in 2022 were half a billion kilograms lower than the previous year, totaling just 5.5 billion kilograms, with worrying effects on people's health given that they fell below the minimum threshold of 400 grams of fresh fruits and vegetables per person to be eaten several times a day, which is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) Council for a healthy diet". These data gain more importance if we consider that overall the Italian area cultivated with fruit and vegetables exceeds 1 million hectares and is worth more than 25 percent of Italy's gross saleable agricultural production, with a record 120 PDO/PGI fruit and vegetable products recognized by the EU.
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