Crete’s olive season is racing ahead this year, and farmers have just been told to hurry up. The Heraklion Directorate of Agricultural Development confirmed that the bait-spraying program against the olive fly has ended, and that harvesting can begin in every local community — except Petrokefali, where picking starts on November 13.
The message from agronomists is clear: the olive fly is thriving, and waiting too long could result in significant crop losses. The warm, calm weather has created perfect conditions for the pest, prompting calls for an accelerated harvest while taking into account each area’s microclimate and crop maturity.
Farmers are also reminded to observe the required interval after the last spraying, depending on the pesticide used. Skipping this step could leave chemical residues in the oil — an issue that inspectors are watching more closely than ever.
Those who plan to harvest later are advised to stay alert, monitor their groves, and consult agricultural advisors before taking any new measures. Organic producers and farmers in Dionysiou–Panagia, Sternes, and Sokaras (Municipality of Gortyna) will not be required to pay the olive fly levy this year.
According to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, the olive fly levy for the 2025–2026 season has been set at €0.03 per kilo of olive oil. For olives sold wholesale, the contribution amounts to 2% of the sale price.
A New Chapter for Crete’s “Liquid Gold”
The warning comes just as Cretan olive oil enters a new, more demanding era. The island’s olive oil has now been granted PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status. This achievement raises both prestige and pressure.
Agricultural consultant Nikos Bounakis, who prepared the PGI dossier, told Radio 98.4 that the recognition brings responsibility.
“The process is strict from cultivation to bottling. Producers can no longer rely only on traditional methods. These things change with knowledge,” he said.
The Ministry of Rural Development and the Hellenic Agricultural Organization DIMITRA will oversee inspections to ensure compliance with the new rules, covering all aspects from harvesting practices to packaging and labeling.
Between Law and Tradition
PGI certification may open global markets, but at home, the story is more familiar. Most Cretan families still rely on their own olive oil, pressed from trees that have been in the family for generations. It is stored in plastic bottles and steel tins, traded among relatives, and poured into every dish without a label in sight.
This quiet, private tradition exists alongside the new system — one steeped in paperwork, testing, and codes. Together, they reveal the truth about Cretan olive oil today: one world operates under regulation; the other relies on memory. Both begin the same way — with the hum of a harvest that cannot wait.
