- The 2025–2026 olive harvest in Crete is nearing completion, but yields are lower than expected.
- Quality problems are widespread due to δάκος (olive fruit fly), γλοιοσπόριο, and unstable weather.
- Strong winds recently knocked large volumes of olives onto the ground.
- Commercial activity is largely frozen, with the market expected to resume after mid-January.
- Producer prices for good-quality olive oil range from €4.80–€5.00/kg, but many were sold early due to cash pressure.
The olive harvest in Crete is nearing completion, but this is not the outcome producers want. Quantities are reduced, quality is uneven, and the market has entered that familiar Greek winter mood: waiting.
According to information shared by agrotypos.gr, trade has essentially “paused,” with most buyers and sellers standing still until the second half of January. While this delay is not unusual, the season has been marked by biological threats, erratic weather, and strong winds that literally threw part of the harvest to the ground.
This year, the story of Cretan olive oil is not written in romantic golden drops. It is written in pressure.
A Season That Would Not Behave
Producers and cooperative representatives speaking to agrotypos.gr describe a year shaped by:
- δάκος (olive fruit fly)
- γλοιοσπόριο (anthracnose disease)
- difficult weather conditions throughout the season
- And, in recent days, powerful winds have caused a significant fall of olives onto the soil
It is the kind of combination that makes even experienced growers sigh: not one problem, but several working together, like a team.
Regional Snapshot: Different Prefectures, Same Anxiety
Heraklion Had A Very Difficult Year
In Heraklion, the tone turns darker. Manolis Zervakis, president of the Agricultural Cooperative of Mochos, describes the season as particularly harsh.
The main issues:
- sharply reduced production
- quality problems
- low yields due to drought
Good oils are rare, but the price for those few strong lots sits around:
- €5.00/kg
Even then, liquidity remains the monster under the bed. Many producers are financially trapped, with costs rising as the market waits.
In Chania, Harvest Is Ending
In Chania, harvesting is almost complete, according to olive producer and EΘEAΣ board member Georgios Goniotakis, who notes that production existed this year—but weather and fruit fly pressure created serious issues.
For good-quality olive oil, producer prices are currently:
- €4.80 to €5.00 per kilo
But there is a quiet reality behind those numbers: many producers were forced to sell earlier than planned because they could not cover the costs of harvesting and survival simultaneously.
Zakros Has a Better Year, But Not as Promised
In Zakros, the picture is slightly brighter. Konstantinos Kekeridis, president of the local olive mill cooperative, reports that production has increased compared to last year—though not as much as initially forecast.
Harvest is expected to finish within the next 10 days.
Quality is judged as good, but demand stays limited. The average Cretan price remains below €5/kg, and buyers have not yet shown a strong appetite.
One key signal came from the cooperative’s first oil sale competition before the holidays:
- €5.00/kg for one tanker
It is a number that sounds clean. The market, however, is still not moving like a healthy market.
In Lasithi, Slow Progress, Less Trade
In Lasithi, harvesting continues with difficulty. Producers report issues with δάκος, despite spraying efforts, and overall production is reduced.
Completion is expected toward the end of January.
For now, commercial activity remains minimal—more silence than trade.
The Bigger Picture: Producers Are Squeezed From Every Side
The overall message from Crete is that producers are under intense pressure. This year is not only about reduced volume. It is also about:
- quality uncertainty
- rising harvesting costs
- low liquidity
- and a market that is waiting instead of buying
Speaking to agrotypos.gr, Sofia Galanaki, president of the Agricultural Cooperative of Vryses Lasithiou, sums up the mood with clarity:
“This year we had reduced production and problems with the fruit fly, although we did the necessary sprayings. I estimate that the harvest will be completed by the end of January. However, at this time, there is no commercial interest in olive oil from the market.”
And that sentence—no commercial interest—is the coldest detail of the whole report.
