Agricultural associations used the event to emphasize the challenges facing traditional olive farmers in Italy.
Coldiretti and Unaprol expressed conÂcern about the chalÂlenges facÂing traÂdiÂtional olive groves in Italy, warnÂing that abanÂdoned groves are increasÂing due to risÂing proÂducÂtion costs and declinÂing profÂits. The two assoÂciÂaÂtions emphaÂsized the imporÂtance of restorÂing and mainÂtainÂing hisÂtoric olive trees to mitÂiÂgate the impacts of cliÂmate change and reduce Italy’s depenÂdency on olive oil imports.
In the heart of Roman Emperor Hadrian’s specÂtacÂuÂlar villa, not far from Rome, farmÂers harÂvested the olives of the Alberto Bello, the most famous of the ancient trees thrivÂing on the huge estate.
The cerÂeÂmony sigÂnaled the beginÂning of the 2022 harÂvest in the cenÂtral Lazio region. Growers and proÂducÂers used the unique hisÂtorÂiÂcal setÂting to express their alarm about the chalÂlenges facÂing traÂdiÂtional olive groves in Italy.
Centuries-old olive trees are not only guardians of our hisÂtory, but they might also conÂtribute to helpÂing us to betÂter face cliÂmate change.- David Granieri, presÂiÂdent, Unaprol
Coldiretti, a farmÂers’ union, and Unaprol, an olive oil proÂducÂers’ assoÂciÂaÂtion, warned that a growÂing numÂber of olive groves are abanÂdoned throughÂout the counÂtry as proÂducÂtion costs rise and profit marÂgins drop.
“Thirty milÂlion trees are at risk,” they said. The groups added that the impact of cliÂmate change is takÂing a toll on proÂducÂtivÂity while raisÂing future uncerÂtainty.
See Also:Olive Oil Production Revived in The Former Papal StatesDuring the cerÂeÂmony, the assoÂciÂaÂtions emphaÂsized how the Roman civÂiÂlizaÂtion sigÂnifÂiÂcantly conÂtributed to the develÂopÂment of olive growÂing and milling techÂniques. Olive oil became a source of wealth, and the methÂods Romans develÂoped conÂtinÂued to be used until the end of the 19th cenÂtury.
Coldiretti and Unaprol added that Italian olive culÂture comes from that traÂdiÂtion, as ancient Roman authors such as Marco Porzio Catone and Marco Terenzio Varrone in the third and secÂond cenÂturies CE wrote the first proÂducÂtion instrucÂtions.
“Those were the theÂoÂretÂiÂcal and techÂniÂcal prinÂciÂples which today still conÂstiÂtute the basis for high-qualÂity olive oil, with a unique range of flaÂvor, tastes, nuances and intenÂsiÂties,” the two assoÂciÂaÂtions wrote.
Roman culÂture, they said, led to the many local olive oil proÂducÂers who have made Italian olive oil famous throughÂout the world.
“Still, 20 perÂcent of the 150 milÂlion olive trees of Italy is curÂrently abanÂdoned, as the effects of the war in Ukraine and the interÂnaÂtional tenÂsions make it difÂfiÂcult to invest in olive growÂing,” the two assoÂciÂaÂtions wrote, citÂing data comÂing from Crea, the Italian Council for Research in Agriculture.
“With the costs for olive farms mulÂtiÂplyÂing now by 200 perÂcent, almost one out of 10 – 9 perÂcent – works at a loss and risks closÂing down,” they added.
In the shade of the Albero Bello, the two assoÂciÂaÂtions said the overÂall volÂumes of olive proÂducÂtion in the counÂtry are falling while energy costs have risen 170 perÂcent.
Furthermore, ferÂtilÂizer costs rose by 129 perÂcent, glass by 30 perÂcent, labels by 35 perÂcent, cardÂboard by 45 perÂcent, tin cans by 60 perÂcent and plasÂtics by 70 perÂcent. On top of that, elecÂtricÂity now costs five times more than it did last year.
Nicola Di Noia, head of the olive oil departÂment in Coldiretti, said the two assoÂciÂaÂtions ​“are comÂmitÂted to reverse course.”
“They are comÂmitÂted to restorÂing and mainÂtainÂing the olive groves in some of the most relÂeÂvant archeÂoÂlogic parks in Italy,” he added. ​“They are also tryÂing to save the Monumental Olive Trees Valley hit by Xylella fasÂtidiosa which is affectÂing Apulian olive farmÂing.”
“By studyÂing cenÂturies-old trees such as Albero Bello in the Hadrian’s Villa… we might idenÂtify useÂful aspects of the resilience to cliÂmate change as well as the proÂducÂtive behavÂior [of the plants], the verÂsaÂtilÂity towards the needs of susÂtainÂable intenÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion of olive culÂtiÂvaÂtion and to improve the health charÂacÂterÂisÂtics of the [olive oil] prodÂucts,” Di Noia conÂtinÂued.
David Granieri, Unaprol’s presÂiÂdent, said mitÂiÂgatÂing the impacts of cliÂmate change is preÂcisely why it is imporÂtant to restore the proÂducÂtion of Italy’s hisÂtoric olive trees.
“Centuries-old olive trees are not only guardians of our hisÂtory, but they might also conÂtribute to helpÂing us to betÂter face cliÂmate change,” he said. ​“That is the reaÂson we need to work to restore and bring back proÂducÂtion to as many of those trees as posÂsiÂble.”
“The goal is not only to improve our knowlÂedge but also to reduce our depenÂdency from olive oil imports so as to relaunch with adeÂquate investÂments Made in Italy extra virÂgin olive oil,” Granieri conÂcluded.
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