Italy accounted for some 77% of pasta exports from the European Union in 2024, exporting 2.2 million tonnes, new data has shown.
According to the Eurostat data, EU countries exported some 2.9 million tonnes of pasta last year, as well as importing 1.7 million tonnes.
Most of these pasta exports (55%) were sent to other EU countries, with the remaining 45% going to destinations outside the EU.
Spain was the second-largest exporter of pasta last year, with 131,000 tonnes exported, or 5% of the total. In terms of the leading importers, meanwhile, Germany imported the most pasta (468,000 tonnes, or 28% of the total), while France followed with 372,000 tonnes, or 22% of the total.
The top non-EU export destinations for pasta were the UK and the US, which accounted for 25% and 23% of all pasta exports outside the bloc.
Pasta production in the EU
Combined, EU countries produced 6.0 million tonnes of pasta, worth €9.1 billion, the Eurostat data showed.
While total production volume fell by 5% compared with 2023, the overall value of pasta production rose by 3%, year-on-year.
As well as leading on exports, Italy accounted for more than two-thirds of pasta production in 2024, with 4.1 million tonnes produced or 69% of all pasta made in the EU. Spain and Germany followed, contributing 6% and 5%, respectively.
The data was compiled by Eurostat to coincide with World Pasta Day, which took place on 25 October. Read more here.
