Italy's Pasta Prices Reach Crisis Point, Government Holds Summit with Producers.
Italy's government held crisis talks to address the skyrocketing prices of pasta, which have risen by more than double the rate of inflation. Despite the falling price of durum wheat, the cost of pasta has increased by 17.5% in March and 16.5% in April compared to the same periods a year earlier. The government hopes the market will correct itself, and the latest price surveys show weak signs of a decrease. Italy is the world's No. 1 pasta exporter, with an average Italian consuming about 23 kilos of pasta per year.
