In a tragic situation, the olive sector in Italy

Olive growers have closed their doors, cooperatives have no activity and a deficient product. This is the situation of the olive sector in Italy, which is facing one of the worst harvests in its history. This is what indicates Italia Olivícola, the main actor of the olive growing in Italy. He adds that the crop, which usually reaches its peak in December, has now almost completely ceased to Italy two months earlier. This is mainly due to late February frosts and bad weather that has affected Italy in recent weeks.

Puglia, the main olive oil production area in Italy, has seen a decline close to 90% compared to last year in the provinces of Bari and Bat.

In Corato, Andria, Ruvo di Puglia, Bitonto, cities known for olive growing, many factories have already been closed for this harvest, while others have not even been opened .

The landscape is not better in Calabria and Sicily, regions with a strong olive tradition in Italy, which have heavy olives because of the abundant rainfall of recent weeks.

This is in addition to the drastic reduction in the working time of farm workers. According to Gennaro Sicolo, president of Italia Oliviola, "there is no work in olive groves, mills or cooperatives, the raw material is missing, which represents a huge loss for the economy of the olive-growing regions.

Lost days of work
The Italian investigation office, Olivicola, estimates the loss of one hundred days of work only for the permanent work done by the olive groves during the harvesting phase.

In this sense, Sicolo "calls on local and national politicians to take into account the crisis in the Italian olive oil sector and to take measures to put an end to the devastating consequences that the lack of production will have on all the actors of the oil and gas chain. supply ".

"We must take initiatives that will give oxygen to the mills, cooperatives and a real deal that will lead to a new national olive oil project that will revitalize one of the main branches of Italian agriculture, "said Sicolo.

Source: olivenews