Over 5.4 billion euros. This is the value of exports from the province of Arezzo in the first half of 2023, according to provisional data published by Istat, with the precious metals and jewelery sector accounting for the lion's share. Precious metals, the main export item, strongly influence the overall performance of the province: in the second quarter they recorded a growth of 8.5% compared to the same period of 2022 without however compensating for the decline suffered in the first three months of the year (-14.7%). The final balance of the first half of the year closes with an export of 2.1 billion euros, a decrease of 3.8% compared to 2022. The price of gold in the first half of 2023 (+4.1% in Euro prices) has contributed to limiting the decline in value.
«Exports in the jewelery and goldsmith sector, on the contrary – explains Massimo Guasconi, president of the Arezzo-Siena Chamber of Commerce – grew in both quarters: after +8.4% in the first quarter of the year, in second quarter a further increase of 3% was recorded which thus brings the balance sheet for the first six months to +5.6%, reaching over 1.6 billion euros. Also in this case, the price of gold provided an important but not decisive push for achieving the positive result: in the period therefore there was a real increase in demand which, however, is starting to show some signs of settling." For this sector, the United Arab Emirates confirms itself as the first reference market, with a value of 354 million euros (although with a -5.7% on the first half of 2022). In second place is Turkey, with 270 million euros and a growth of 66%, compared to the same period in 2022; in third place is the United States with 209 million euros and +11%.
On the fashion sector front, «flows abroad also show signs of vitality in the second quarter - explains general secretary Marco Randellini -. After the +21.2% achieved in the first quarter, a further +3.6% was added in the second quarter, bringing the final balance for the semester to +12%. Almost all production specializations are characterized by a positive sign: clothing (+10.5%), leather goods (+16.2%) and footwear (+14.7%). Only textiles are bucking the trend (-3.2%). France is the main reference market for all production specialisations, followed by Germany, the Netherlands and Spain."
