Today is click day, with the expectation of the arrival in Italy of the 82,705 non-EU workers envisaged by the flows decree.
The number, approximately 13,000 higher than the 69,700 in 2022, is that envisaged by the new Dpcm (Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers) for transitional programming of flows.
Of the new entries, over half (44,000, against 42,000 last year) represent the quotas for seasonal work expected mainly in farms, as well as in the hotel and tourism sector.
A number, however, still low according to the major agricultural organizations, according to which 100,000 workers are needed in the countryside.
"In Italy, one out of four agricultural products is harvested by foreign hands, with 358,000 workers from as many as 164 countries", notes Coldiretti, citing data from the Immigration Statistical Dossier (IDOS).
However, there is currently no subdivision of entry quotas at territorial level. On the basis of the experiences of recent years, Coldiretti indicates that the regions in which entry requests will concentrate are the same in which seasonal crops are concentrated, which require a large effort of manpower.
Among these are Trentino, above all for the apple harvest, Veneto for the imminent harvest of vegetables and frails, Friuli Venezia Giulia for the preparation of vine seedlings for new plantings,
Even Confagricoltura indicates a "high growth" of the agricultural workforce of non-EU origin, which represents about 70% of workers.
Among the countries of origin, Africa predominates, with Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Nigeria and Mali.
The share of non-EU manpower coming from Eastern Europe is also significant, especially from Albania and Macedonia, and then from Asia, with India and Pakistan.
Although the expected arrivals this year exceed those of 2022, for agricultural organizations they are still not sufficient compared to the demand.
In the countryside, "at least one hundred thousand young people" are needed, notes the president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini.
"It is a necessity - he continues - to be tackled with an additional flow decree, also provided for by law".
One hundred thousand is also the figure indicated by Confagricoltura, which for some time has asked for a revision of the flow decree and according to which, "despite the increase, compared to last year, in the quotas of the flow decree, there will still be a shortage of sufficient workers on farms for late spring and summer operations".
For the president of the agricultural organization, Massimiliano Giansanti, "at least three times the available and suitably qualified manpower is needed", considering that a higher number of requests than the offer is expected.