+33 680 38 14 46
Olive oil, Italy's crop drops to 500,000 tons
Italy
Saturday 03 May 2008
Italian production of olive oil usually fluctuates between 600 and 700,000 tons, depending on the year. However, for the 2007/08 campaign a drastic crop reduction is expected, amounting around 500,000 tons. It means a reduction between 15-20% compared to 603,000 tons last year, mainly due to exceptional warm climate in the summer that gave problems in non-irrigated areas mostly in the south of the Country.
Despite reduction, quality this year is satisfactory right because of the warm which reduced flies’ assaults. The greatest crop will come from Apulia (209,000 tons), followed by Calabria (147,000) and Sicily (36,000).
As internal consumption largely exceeds 800,000 tons, Italy has to import big volumes to meet the demand. Over 200,000 tons are sold on international markets, while around 300 and 400,000 tons are imported from Spain, Greece, Tunisia and other Countries of the Mahgreb area.
According to the consortium UNAPROL, over 1,300,000 companies belong to the olive oil industry in Italy, for a total turnover exceeding 2.5 billion euros per year. There are 38 Protected Origin denominations; furthermore, over 230 million plants and 350 varieties comprise the Italian olive oil heritage.
Through the decree law “Rules regulating obligatory indications on labels of virgin and extra-virgin olive oils”, since January 2007 it is necessary in Italy to show on the label from which Country the olives are from and the place where the oil was extracted.
To facilitate controls, enterprises are required to keep a record of every loading and unloading activity for each facility and warehouse. A dispute with the European Commission is currently in progress about the above norm, which is accused to violate the Community regulations.
Despite reduction, quality this year is satisfactory right because of the warm which reduced flies’ assaults. The greatest crop will come from Apulia (209,000 tons), followed by Calabria (147,000) and Sicily (36,000).
As internal consumption largely exceeds 800,000 tons, Italy has to import big volumes to meet the demand. Over 200,000 tons are sold on international markets, while around 300 and 400,000 tons are imported from Spain, Greece, Tunisia and other Countries of the Mahgreb area.
According to the consortium UNAPROL, over 1,300,000 companies belong to the olive oil industry in Italy, for a total turnover exceeding 2.5 billion euros per year. There are 38 Protected Origin denominations; furthermore, over 230 million plants and 350 varieties comprise the Italian olive oil heritage.
Through the decree law “Rules regulating obligatory indications on labels of virgin and extra-virgin olive oils”, since January 2007 it is necessary in Italy to show on the label from which Country the olives are from and the place where the oil was extracted.
To facilitate controls, enterprises are required to keep a record of every loading and unloading activity for each facility and warehouse. A dispute with the European Commission is currently in progress about the above norm, which is accused to violate the Community regulations.
