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A report from Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shows that houseÂhold olive oil conÂsumpÂtion increased by 12.7 perÂcent durÂing the Covid-19 panÂdemic, with the highÂest rates coinÂcidÂing with the counÂtry’s state of alarm from March to June 2020. This increase in conÂsumpÂtion is expected to help offÂset losses for olive oil proÂducÂers in Spain, many of whom have been impacted by the panÂdemic’s effects on trade and the hosÂpiÂtalÂity secÂtor, with the trend likely to conÂtinue as a new state of alarm has been issued.
A newly-pubÂlished report from Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food conÂfirms the anecÂdoÂtal eviÂdence that the Covid-19 panÂdemic increased domesÂtic demand for olive oil.
Individual houseÂhold olive oil conÂsumpÂtion increased by 12.7 perÂcent in the rolling 12-month period that ended in July 2020, comÂpared with the preÂviÂous one.
See Also:Olive Oil Consumption in Spain Continues to GrowAccording to the report, the months with the highÂest rates of indiÂvidÂual domesÂtic conÂsumpÂtion coinÂcided with the country’s first state of alarm, which lasted from March 14 to June 21.
A state of alarm is the lowÂest of the three degrees of state of emerÂgency.
Over the four-month period, Spaniards conÂsumed an averÂage of 33,860 tons of olive oil per month. Meanwhile, in the remainÂing eight months of the rolling year, Spanish houseÂholds conÂsumed an averÂage of 28,160 tons of olive oil per month.
Olive oil conÂsumpÂtion hit its highÂest points in both March and May, reachÂing 34,690 tons and 34,880 tons, respecÂtively.
The subÂstanÂtial increase in houseÂhold olive oil conÂsumpÂtion is expected to help offÂset the severe losses being faced by the country’s proÂducÂers, many of whom have been negÂaÂtively affected by the panÂdemic’s impact on trade as well as the restauÂrant and hosÂpiÂtalÂity secÂtor.
The trend of increasÂing houseÂhold conÂsumpÂtion is also likely to conÂtinue as a new state of alarm was issued by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez late last month and could last until May. In many parts of the counÂtry, Spaniards are being urged to remain at home once again.