News Briefs / page 2
Jan. 20, 2026
EU Audit Finds Gaps in Olive Oil Controls Despite Strong Regulatory Framework
A new audit by the European Court of Auditors finds that while E.U. olive oil rules are robust, uneven enforcement continues to undermine quality and traceability.
Jan. 20, 2026
Spain Announces Expanded Anti-Fraud Controls for Olive Oil Sector
Spain has announced a new set of official controls and anti-fraud measures covering the entire olive oil and pomace supply chain, with implementation set to begin in 2026.
Jan. 14, 2026
USDA Forecasts Modest Decline in EU Olive Oil Production
A new USDA report forecasts a modest drop in EU olive oil output, citing heat, drought and pest pressure across key producing regions.
Jan. 14, 2026 News Briefs
Jan. 9, 2026 News Briefs
U.S. Dietary Guidelines Put Olive Oil and Table Olives at the Center of Healthy Eating
Jan. 7, 2026 News Briefs
Olive Pit Biochar Shows Promise as Low-Carbon Alternative in Concrete Production
Jan. 5, 2026 News Briefs
EU Delays Mercosur Trade Deal After Italy and France Withhold Support
Jan. 5, 2026 News Briefs
Early Data Points to Weaker Olive Oil Production Across Andalusia
Jan. 5, 2026
Europe’s Olive Oil Sector Poised for Recovery Despite Climate and Market Pressures
The European Union’s latest Agricultural Outlook projects a recovery in olive oil production driven by higher yields and orchard modernization, even as climate stress and declining consumption pose long-term challenges.
Dec. 29, 2025
Pakistan’s Olive Gala Signals Growth of a Young Sector
With more than 25,000 visitors, Olive Gala 2025 showcased growing consumer interest, expanding cultivation and rising confidence in Pakistan’s olive oil sector.
Dec. 29, 2025
High-Density Olive Groves Shown to Capture More Carbon Than Traditional Plantings
New research from Spain shows that high-density olive groves capture significantly more carbon dioxide per hectare than traditional plantings, highlighting olive farming’s potential role in climate mitigation.
Dec. 26, 2025
Cobram Estate to Acquire California Olive Ranch in $173.5 Million Deal
The deal will more than double Cobram Estate’s California olive groves and expand its U.S. market presence, while raising concerns about industry consolidation.
Dec. 19, 2025
Heat, Drought and Rising Costs Drive Down Portugal’s Olive Harvest
Official estimates point to a 20 percent decline in Portugal’s olive harvest, with uneven yields across regions and mounting pressure on traditional producers.
Dec. 19, 2025
Greek Farmers Block Roads Over Delayed Subsidies and Low Olive Oil Prices
Greek farmers blocked motorways and border crossings nationwide, protesting delayed subsidy payments, low producer prices and rising costs, with olive oil growers among the hardest hit.
Dec. 18, 2025
Hiroshima Receives Olive Tree from Italy as Symbol of Peace on 80th Anniversary
An olive tree donated by Italy’s Città dell’Olio was planted in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, renewing a decades-long commitment to peace and solidarity between the two countries.
Dec. 18, 2025
World Nears 1.5°C Threshold as Three-Year Heat Streak Confirms Climate Shift
New data from Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service show global temperatures over the past three years have exceeded the 1.5°C threshold, underscoring that record heat is no longer a short-term anomaly.
Dec. 18, 2025
France Casts Doubt on E.U.-Mercosur Trade Deal as Farmers Push Back
France has called the E.U.-Mercosur trade agreement “incomplete,” raising new doubts about the long-negotiated deal as farmers across Europe warn of unfair competition from South America.
Dec. 15, 2025
Italy’s National Cuisine Inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List
Italy has become the first country to have its entire national cuisine recognized by UNESCO, highlighting Italian cooking as a living heritage rooted in sustainability, diversity and shared traditions.
Dec. 15, 2025
Researchers Detect Microplastics in Italian Olive Oils Using New Imaging Technique
A new study published in Food Chemistry found microplastics in Italian extra virgin olive oils, highlighting differences linked to supply chain length and production practices.
Dec. 8, 2025
Extreme Weather Ravages Olive Groves Across Greece, Undermining 2025 Output
Hailstorms of unusual intensity have devastated olive farms across Greece, leaving producers facing severe losses in a year already marked by climate and pest pressures.
Dec. 8, 2025
Italy Warns of Rising Fraud and Violence Amid High Olive Oil Prices
Italian authorities seized more than 14,000 liters of untraced extra virgin olive oil in Puglia and reported armed thefts of additional shipments, underscoring a spike in fraud and criminal activity fueled by high market prices.
Dec. 4, 2025
Study Links €1.1 B in Losses to Tasting-Panel Variability in Spain
Researchers say tasting-panel variability continues to undermine Spain’s olive oil sector, with misclassifications costing growers more than €1.1 billion in ten years.
Dec. 4, 2025
Traditional Growers Unite to Defend Spain’s Historic Olive Groves
Three dozen cooperatives representing 15,000 farmers have launched the Traditional Olive Grove Association, aiming to defend Spain’s historic olive-growing landscapes amid rising pressure from industrial groves.