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Climate Disrupts Olive Oil Supply

January 17, 2019 Olive Oil Times
"European Union olive oil producers fared poorly this year. Spain, the notable exception, is well poised to make up the difference in the export market."
"According to the latest estimates released by the European Commission, Spanish olive oil production is projected to reach 1.76 million tons in the 2018/19 season, up from 1.39 million tons the preceding season."
"Spain is expected to export 1.22 million tons this season, up almost 40 percent from the 2017/18 season. This is largely in response to the sharp decrease in production in other countries, such as Greece and Italy."
"Spain’s production will make up three-quarters of total EU olive oil production in the 2018/19 season, and more than half of the worldwide production."
"Ironically, Spanish olive oil producers have climate change to thank for the successful harvest season."
"The most important olive oil producing countries outside of the EU are also seeing a drop in figures. Tunisia and Turkey are expected to fall by around 50 percent and only Morocco will increase its production, reaching about 50 percent more than the previous season."
"According to the latest figures from the International Olive Oil Council, worldwide olive oil production for the 2018/19 season is expected to reach 3.451 million tons, down slightly from 3.653 million tons in the 2017/18 harvesting season."

International Shortage of Olive Oil to Be Compensated by Spain

December 29, 2018 from the Specialty Food News:

"A particularly bad year for olive harvests in some parts of the world is disrupting the olive oil supply chain and will likely have an impact on retailers’ pricing and assortments in the year ahead, according to suppliers."
"This year Italy reportedly suffered a sharp decline in olive production, with the harvest down an estimated 38 percent or more compared with last year, according to reports in the Olive Oil Times. Some other major olive-growing regions, including parts of Greece, also had a down year due to a combination of fly infestations and climate fluctuations."
"The burgeoning California olive industry, meanwhile, also had an extremely weak harvest after warm weather in February was followed by a cold snap. Some farms had no olives at all, according to reports. That has led to a new packaging claim from olive oil producer California Olive Ranch that its oils are “Crafted in California,” even though the olives have been grown in other countries. California Olive Ranch has partnerships with producers in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Portugal, for example, that supply certified extra virgin olive oils, the company says on its website."
"The global olive harvest down an estimated 5.5 percent."