During the last decade the Italian food industry has been characterized by a relative stability in terms of productivity and employment. The high performance is partly justified by the typical anti-cyclical charasteristics of the sector, which are bound to the stability of food consumption. Together whith the past, the agro-food sector has shown a quite innovative dynamic trend whithin itself, in connection whith an intense restructuring activity. The increase in production capacity has not been coupled with an increase in the overall plant size. Investments and innovative activities have been connected with a process of external development by means of acquisitions and merger. The dynamic features of the sector and its strategic importance whithin the Italian economy, have attracted foreign firms, thus anticipating the acievement of the Internal Market due by 1992.
