Abstract

In recent years, the phenomenon of the "caporalato" and exploitation of agricultural workers in Southern Italy has received great media attention. In 2016, the Parliament addressed the problem by passing a law that severely punishes farms using exploited labor. But it is necessary to reflect on the root causes of the phenomenon: from the malfunctioning of the employment centers to the price squeezing operated by the actors of largescale organized distribution, which represents an element of debilitation of the agri-food production chain.