Olive oil harvest in Catalonia falls by 50%

The olive oil harvest in Catalonia is expected to be 50% lower this year than last year and the historical average, according to the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives (FCAC).

This year's total harvest is expected to reach 16,500 tonnes of olives, similar to 2022, but 50% lower than last year, when it reached 32,674 tonnes.

The decline will be particularly severe in the southern regions of Camp de Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre, where the harvest is expected to fall by 65%.

The FCAC has warned that this situation, which has occurred in two of the last three seasons, will have "very significant consequences."

"In some cases, mills may not open if low production does not cover operating costs," warned Antoni Galceran, spokesperson for the FCAC.

While rains in the coming weeks could slightly improve production, the increase is unlikely to be significant, as many trees have already shed some of their fruit "due to the drought."

However, production in Spain is expected to reach around 1.3 million tonnes, in line with the historical average, after two consecutive seasons below 850,000 tonnes.

Globally, other olive oil producing countries are also not expected to have significant harvests, so prices are likely to remain similar to current levels.