"According to initial estimates, 30,000 to 40,000 trees were destroyed in fires that swept through some of the oldest olive groves in Greece."
"The Hellenic Center of Excellence for Health and Wellness, a non-profit initiative aimed at promoting Greek culture with a focus on the plant-based Mediterranean Diet, one of the world’s healthiest eating plans, was launched" on Crete in May.
"The 2021/22 crop year required a swift harvest and milling due to unusually high temperatures. The coming crop year is shaping up to be better."
Daniel Dawson reports on the USDA's forecasts for global olive oil production, consumption, and trade in the next crop year.
"Despite the war in Ukraine, olive oil prices are expected to remain steady. E.U.production and consumption will rise. Exports will fall."
Given the high price of sunflower oil due to the war in Ukraine, "Officials and olive oil professionals on the island want to encourage food entrepreneurs to use locally-produced olive oil in taverns, restaurants and hotels."
A report on Greek olive oil production this crop year, and on predictions for next year. "Olive oil of high quality, medium quantity and average prices with increased production costs amid adverse weather were the main characteristics of the harvesting season in Greece."
"The Greek extra virgin olive oils were registered with an international organization that protects the product from imitation and counterfeiters in 56 countries."
"Sparta Gourmet’s high-tech mill is at the heart of a renewed local effort to produce high-quality olive oil" using a "sustainable and environmentally friendly" approach near Sparta, Peloponnese.
An international nonprofit group is leading a fundraising campaign that aims to help replant olive trees after major fires destroyed olive groves in Ancient Olympia last summer. To find out how you can help, see https://olympia-trees.com/.
Costas Vasilopoulos describes the results of this year's olive harvest in Greece, which vary from one place to another. In many areas, quality seems much better than quantity this year.
"Intensive groves will outnumber traditional farms thirty years from now, and the number of olive oil-producing countries will rise to 80, says Juan Vilar."
"Greeks are among the top per capita consumers of olive oil in the world but have cut back on the highest grade." Based on an article about a 2020 survey in Greece, this report discusses various opinions, practices, and levels of knowledge about olive oil.
"Local producers have joined forces with scientists In Chania, Crete, to identify, analyze and transfer the DNA identity of olive oil from the field to the bottle, achieving authenticity and traceability for their local products."
"Commentaries by five members of the Scientific Society of Olive Encyclopaedists (4E) on civilization, health and Covid-19, climate change, the value of olive growing, olive policy."
"Many producing regions, especially in the western part of the country, were hit with a deluge that some farmers say is becoming more common." However, the situation varies in different parts of the country.
The total picture in the Greek olive sector is not yet clear, although "[t]he ongoing drought has led to wildfires burning around the country, damaging olive trees, and further diminishing the prospects of the 2021 harvest."
"Greek olive oil production will be off 20 percent from last year's yield, early estimates say."
"The progress in the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Europe is positively affecting the recovery of the agricultural sector, according to the European Commission in its latest short-term outlook for agricultural markets."
"Greece has made an official request to the Council of the European Union to receive financial aid for oil olive oil and table olive producers hit by the extreme weather conditions that prevailed in parts of the country during the last six months."
