Market Trends of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Italy: Future Scenarios Based on the Delphi Method

Abstract

The medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) sector in Italy is a niche sector that is growing in terms of both primary production and consumption. These products seem to be important to address several global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, drought solutions, product diversification, product innovations, and the development of rural areas (rural tourism in primis). This study utilised the Delphi method to identify key factors and possible strategies that could be adopted for the future (the next 3–5 years) of the national MAP supply chain. The research involved the collaboration of 26 experts. Individual interviews, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, were carried out during the first round of the study. The information and the collected data were then analysed and depicted in a mental map. The Italian MAP sector suffers from competition from lower-cost imported products. Despite this, the experts predicted an expansion of the MAP sector regarding aromatic herbs and certain derivative products, such as dietary supplements, biocides, and essential oils. The experts anticipated the need to increase the adoption of digital innovations, of developing agreements among the actors of the supply chain, and of investing in the training of supply chain actors.