|
The
province of Modena is a land with a strong farming tradition,
which is still characterised by a strong network of businesses
practising innovative breeding and farming techniques.
The province’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product
is around 6%,  placing
Modena at the 10th place amongst the 103 most agriculturally advanced
provinces in Italy.There are three main factors that render Modenese
agriculture successful: the fertile territory of Pianura Padana,
the time-old agricultural tradition, the diffusion of professionalism
within this sector and the strong presence of co-operative societies.
The first five activities of the primary concern pig farms, milk
production, crop of vine, pears and cherries and represent more
than 75% of the selling gross product. In terms of crop land the
agricultural landscape is dominated by animal farming and cereal
crops, increasing especially
in this field the fodder and cereal crops (compared to 46% and
31% of the farming area).
The structure of this sector (10,000 agricultural firms and 15,000
operators) is characterised on one hand by a wide network of family-run
factories and a small number of operators and on the other hand
by big agroindustrial groups integrated into the productive system,
often in form of cooperative.
The fruit production is especially meaningful, it is chiefly located
in the areas of Vignola, Spilamberto, S. Cesario and Castelfranco.
On the other hand grapes are more popular in the plain, especially
in the communes of Soliera, Carpi, Castelvetro, Campogalliano
and Formigine.
The most common arboreous crops are pears, grapes, cherries, plums
and apricots. The pear production of the Province has reached
recently a considerable position at national level. It is compared
to the most famous productions of cherries and red fruit, preserved
by the “Consorzio della ciliegia, della susina e della Frutta
tipica di Vignola”. In the following pages the zootechnics,
the production of Parmigiano
Reggiano, the vine-growing,
the production of lambrusco
and balsamic vinegar
have been analysed.
|
