Prosciutto di Parma sets sights on export growth after 2025 recovery
In 2025, more than 7.1 million Prosciutto di Parma PDO batches were sold, representing a 5.4% increase compared with 2024. According to the Prosciutto di Parma Consortium, the turnaround was driven by “greater availability of raw materials and price, which remains high but is more contained than the excesses recorded in the previous two-year period.”
On the domestic front, the brand has strengthened its position within Italy’s modern retail channel. In 2025, Prosciutto di Parma PDO regained market share from generic products and posted volume growth, supported in particular by the strong performance of pre-sliced packaged formats, which rose by 9%. “The sliced segment delivered a decidedly positive performance, up 9%, confirming changing consumer preferences and the value of branded quality,” the Consortium noted.
Exports to EU markets showed encouraging signs of recovery throughout 2025. Traditional destinations such as France and Germany recorded improved demand, while new opportunities emerged in Central and Eastern Europe.
“The European Union has once again become a key driver of our international performance,” the Consortium stated, pointing to a stabilising environment and renewed consumer confidence across the bloc.
The picture is more complex outside the EU. Third countries have been affected by a geopolitical climate characterised by uncertainty and volatility. Among them, the United States continues to rank as the leading non-EU destination for Prosciutto di Parma exports. However, tariffs introduced under the Trump administration have disrupted momentum. In 2024, the US market absorbed a record 800,000 batches of Prosciutto di Parma. In 2025, that upward trajectory was interrupted. “While the United States remains our primary non-EU market, the impact of protectionist measures has inevitably slowed the positive escalation seen in the previous year,” the Consortium noted.
International trade dynamics in 2025 were heavily influenced by US tariffs on European goods. A prolonged and complex negotiation phase between the US and the EU in the early part of the year created significant commercial uncertainty.
With tariffs rising from 0% to 15%, Prosciutto di Parma now faces the medium- to long-term implications of this new trade framework. “The increase in duties from 0% to 15% compels us to reassess our positioning and to prepare for scenarios that remain highly unpredictable,” the Consortium explained, underlining the need for strategic agility in an unstable global policy environment.
Looking to South America, the Consortium expressed confidence in the potential impact of a trade agreement with Mercosur, which could unlock commercial opportunities in countries hosting significant Italian communities. “We see promising prospects in Mercosur countries, where cultural ties and appreciation for Italian food products create favourable conditions for expansion,” it said.
Finally, attention remains firmly on Japan. The Consortium voiced strong hopes for the reopening of the Japanese market within a reasonable timeframe. The Italian government has intensified diplomatic negotiations with Tokyo in recent months, signalling a high level of institutional commitment.
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