Ahead of the pending approval of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) this week, Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, Fishing and Food has pledged support for traditional olive growers.
“We will develop a specific program because it is very important for the sector’s ability to compete,” Luis Planas told the Spanish Senate.
According to Juan Vilar Strategic Consultants, traditional groves make up about 70 percent of all Spanish olive groves.
See Also:Spanish Olive Growers Replacing Century-Old Trees With Young OnesSince the traditional olive production sector employs 350,000 workers, including 15,000 jobs in mills, and pays almost €32 million in wages annually, it is “something worth fighting for,” Planas added.
The CAP 2023 – 27 will allow each member state of the E.U. to propose its own strategic plan to implement the new policy. Chief among the goals of the CAP is to promote family farming operations.
The government’s plan to bolster traditional olive production is also part of a 10-pronged plant that it implemented last year. Planas told the senate that this plan had contributed to the improved marketing, quality and promotion of olive oil as a healthy and emblematic product of the Mediterranean diet.
He pointed to government projections that domestic olive oil consumption is expected to reach 550,000 tons and exports would hit 1.13 million tons by the end of the 2020/21 crop year, both of which are record highs, as evidence that the plan is working.
Planas added that the European Commission’s estimate that global olive oil consumption is anticipated to grow five percent by the end of the decade paired with the decision of the United States and E.U. to cancel the tariffs associated with the Airbus-Boeing trade dispute as reasons for the sector to be optimistic.
In conclusion, he pointed out that if it is taken into account that olive oil represents only three percent of total global vegetable oil consumption, “the opportunities are immense.”
Related Articles
Feb. 7, 2024
Oleocampo's 3,500 Members Overcome Harvest Challenges with Quality Intact
Farmers in the massive Jaén-based cooperative sacrificed yield for a tenth straight year of award-winning quality.
Mar. 7, 2024
Spanish Campaigners Lobby for Glyphosate Ban After EU Fails to Reach Consensus
The world’s most used herbicide was found in concentrations exceeding the legal limit in Mar Menor, spurring advocates to call for a ban in Spain.
Oct. 3, 2023
Why Olive Oil Prices Are Higher in Spain
A combination of retail purchase schedules, consumer habits and tax rates explain why extra virgin olive oil costs more in Spain than in France, Italy or Portugal.
Dec. 5, 2023
Soaring Expenses Strain Producers in Southern Europe
Olive oil producers in Spain, Italy and Greece are grappling with challenges that threaten the viability of the sector.
Oct. 11, 2023
Olive Growers in Madrid Benefit from CAP Funds
Officials in Madrid have released €8.5 million from the Common Agricultural Policy to promote traditional landscapes and biodiversity in the capital region.
Mar. 6, 2024
US Surpasses Spain as Second-Largest Olive Oil Consumer
Experts predict the U.S. will overtake Italy to become the world’s largest consumer of olive oil.
May. 30, 2023
Report Reveals Winners, Losers in Spanish Olive Oil Market
Bottlers enjoy the highest net profit margin, farmers and millers earn far less and distributors fare the worst in a new study.
Feb. 5, 2024
Farmers Across Europe Protest High Costs, Reduced Subsidies
With one eye on European elections in June, some officials have proposed relaxing environmental requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy.