CIHEAM Press Review

A research initiative in Spain comprising scientists from the Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA) and members of the olive industry is attempting to develop viable methods for reducing sodium usage in table olive production.

As much of south­ern Europe endures scorch­ing tem­per­a­tures and flash flood­ing, olive oil prices in the main bench­mark mar­kets con­tinue to rise.
Italian extra vir­gin olive oil has nearly reached the price of €7 per kilo­gram. Greek oil has exceeded €6 per kilo­gram, and Spanish oils are approach­ing the same price.
The main cul­prit for the rise in prices is ongo­ing cli­matic dis­as­ters. Due to droughts and enor­mously high tem­per­a­tures in the 2021/22 crop year, olive oil pro­duc­tion in Spain fell by 55 per­cent year-on-year to 660,000 tons.

Adverse weather con­di­tions and dev­as­tat­ing wild­fires have resulted in low expec­ta­tions for the olive har­vest in Algeria.
Local observers told Olive Oil Times they expect pro­duc­tion to reach no more than 30,000 tons in the 2022/23 crop year. The aver­age olive oil yield in the last five years sits at 94,800 tons.

Exporters would earn more with branded products, however, entering the Italian market requires resources beyond the reach of many small Greek producers.

A Garden of Peace with 21 varieties of olive trees was inaugurated on July 19 at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh) in Crete, Greece. The trees come from the 21 olive-growing countries that represent 95% of the world’s olive production. Viewed as a symbol of peace for millennia, olive trees are the sole focus of this new garden.

Photo credit : The Olive Times

A record haul of 65 awards has placed Turkey among the top producing countries at the world’s largest olive oil quality contest.

photo credi @The olive times

The Lebanese producer has coupled traditional varieties and cultivation techniques with modern milling and marketing to produce an award-winning brand.

Olive farmers in the Mediterranean basin are among those at the highest risk of increasing and more intense wildfires.

The impact of climate change and changes in how land is used for human activities will lead to a 14-percent increase in extreme fires by 2030.

Experts warn that the absence of significant rainfalls in the coming months will degrade water quality and strain irrigation-dependent crops, including some olive groves.

In many parts of Egypt, yields are expected to be between 50 and 80-percent below the average. However, producers are optimistic about the future.

Live generates about 4.5 carbon credits per hectare from its 1,000 hectares of organic groves, establishing a model for producers to increase revenue.

Scientists say more needs to be done to adapt, from wastewater recycling to planting less water-intensive crops.

The IOC celebrates World Olive Day on 26 November every year.

To promote this important event, the Executive Secretariat works with and provides support for delegations from member countries, representatives from the sector, local authorities, observatories and members of the diplomatic corps from countries that have signed the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives 2015.

Rising olive oil prices at origins have seen Tunisian exports increase in value by one-third in the past year, even as volumes dipped

Photo: The Olive Times

Jordan’s only award-winning producer at the 2022 NYIOOC reflects on the role of preserving the environment on quality and prepare for the post-Covid world.

Local agricultural associations protested a local court's decision and said it would result in further damage to the region’s olive trees.

Photo credit: Olive Oil Times

The world’s largest project on olive groves finds that adopting nature-positive farming practices increases local biodiversity and profits for farmers. The project was partly funded by Europe’s LIFE Programme, Europe’s leading funding institution for environment and climate action, and coordinated by the non-profit organization SEO Birdlife.