Climate Challenges for Crete’s Olive Farmers

• Cretan olive farmers face severe heat and drought
• Crete’s olive oil production drops drastically
• Urgent need for revised compensation rules

Olive farmers in Crete face severe challenges (full report in Greek via Neakriti) due to climate change. Extreme weather conditions threaten their crops, leading to significant harvest losses. The Association of Olive-Growing Municipalities of Crete demands urgent amendments to compensation regulations. They argue that current policies do not account for the destruction caused by heat and drought, which significantly impacts their livelihoods.

Greece’s Olive Oil Regions and Varieties

Greece cultivates olives in 50 out of 54 municipalities, with 16 PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and 11 PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) regions. Key areas include:

• Crete: Known for Koroneiki olives and local varieties like Tsounati and Throumbalia. Oils vary widely in flavour.
• Peloponnese: Koroneiki olives thrive, producing aromatic oils. Regional variations from areas like Mani and Messinia add unique profiles.
• Lesbos: Known for its golden-yellow oils from Kolovi and Adramitiani varieties.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil includes Extra Virgin PDO, Extra Virgin PGI, Organic Olive Oil, and Agourelaio (early harvest oil). PDO products come from specific regions with traditional methods, ensuring uniqueness and quality control. PGI products relate to historical or traditional ties to a specific place, offering distinctive qualities.

Organic olive oil uses no synthetic chemicals and relies on natural cultivation methods. Agourelaio comes from unripe green olives. It offers a bright green color and bittersweet taste, best consumed fresh.

Greek Olive Oil: A Taste Above All

• Greece produces around 400,000 tons of olive oil every year.
• Crete alone contributes 200,000 tons of extra virgin olive oil.
• Cretan olive oil beats Spanish and Italian in quality.
• Traditional, chemical-free farming practices still thrive in Crete.
• Greece leads the world in the percentage of land covered by olive trees.
• 87.21% of Greece’s tree crops are olives.
• Greece is third in global olive oil production and first in black olives.
• 82% of Greek olive oil is top-quality extra virgin.

Crete, The Olive Oil Powerhouse

Crete stands out, producing 200,000 tons of extra virgin olive oil annually—plus 10,000 tons of the organic version. This amount grows year by year. The richness of Cretan olive oil surpasses its Spanish and Italian counterparts. Italians and Spaniards often mix their oils with Greek olive oil to enhance quality and flavour.

Farmers in Crete stick to traditional methods, avoiding chemicals and fertilizers. This tradition ensures naturally juicy fruit and exceptional oil quality. For over 2,000 years, Cretans have used olive oil for food and its therapeutic and cosmetic benefits.

Greece’s Leading Role in Olive Production

Greece leads the world with the highest percentage of olive tree coverage per land area. Olives make up 87.21% of all tree crops in Greece. The nation ranks third globally in olive oil production, right after Spain and Italy. With approximately 350,000 tons produced annually, 82% of this is extra virgin, the highest quality category.

Greece tops the world in black olive production. It also cultivates about 21 million trees for Greek Table Olives, securing a strong position in the global market.

Cretan Olive Oil: The Heart of Island Life

• Olive oil holds a central place in Cretan culture and cuisine
• It supports Crete’s tourism, economy, and history
• Cretans consume more olive oil per person than anyone else
• Olive oil in Crete is mostly high-quality extra virgin
• Active contributions to global Mediterranean diet practices

Olive oil is a defining feature of Crete, captivating both locals and tourists. Visitors can engage in insightful tours of olive oil mills and facilities, witnessing the oil extraction process, especially during harvest time. Year-round, these tours offer a deep dive into the history and significance of olive oil in Cretan culture.

Olive oil tastings provide tourists with a sensory journey, allowing them to appreciate the unique flavours and aromas of Crete’s olive oil. This immersive experience highlights the significance of olive oil in Cretan cuisine.

Olive oil plays a pivotal role in the Cretan diet, being a significant draw for tourists and transcending its role as a mere ingredient in Cretan cuisine. It represents the region’s richness, heritage, and Mediterranean lifestyle, symbolizing hospitality, tradition, and a connection to the land. Many scientists consider the traditional Cretan diet a precursor to the healthful Mediterranean diet. It has been crucial in Cretan history, serving as an economic foundation, cultural symbol, and nutritional staple.

Crete now hosts 35 to 37 million olive trees, covering 65 to 68% of the island’s agricultural land.

Crete’s high-quality EVOO is recognized by European Union quality schemes, with ten PDO olive oils and one PGI olive oil from Chania. The Region of Crete also introduced a new olive oil training program, covering modern practices in cultivation, milling, bottling, and the benefits of olive oil.

Cretan Olive Farmers Fight Climate Crisis

Cretan olive producers are in crisis. Extreme weather, including relentless heat and severe drought, threatens to destroy their olive harvests. This harsh climate is shrinking their income and putting their livelihoods at risk.

Farmers Demand Action

The Association of Olive-Growing Municipalities of Crete demands immediate changes to compensation rules. Current guidelines only cover frost damage, leaving farmers without support for losses from heatwaves and droughts. They assert that it makes no sense scientifically, logically, or morally to exclude weather-induced flower and small fruit damage from compensation.

Farmers recall suffering 40% losses in olive production last year. They fear the same, if not worse, losses this year due to prolonged heatwaves during the flowering and fruiting stages. Standing on the brink of financial ruin, they call for urgent revision of compensation regulations to cover all weather-related damages. Without these changes, the future of Cretan olive farming looks bleak.

If Things Go South, Your New Olive Oil Supplier Could Be…

• South Africa is the 5th largest olive producer in the Southern Hemisphere
• Harvest runs from March to August
• South Africa leads in olive oil production in Sub-Saharan Africa and ranks 6th overall in Africa
• Olive groves have doubled in size from 2008-2018, growing at 20% per year
• 95% of local production qualifies as extra virgin
• Major production regions: coastal areas near Cape Town and the arid central plateau of the Karoo
• Origins and Growth
  • Olive trees were first brought to South Africa by the Dutch East India Company in the 1600s
  • Notable expansions in the 1900s with the help of returning farmers and Italian immigrants
  • Giuliano Bertrand revolutionized the industry in the 1990s, establishing key nurseries
• Where Olives Thrive
  • Main production: Lush valleys and foothills of Cape Fold Belt near Cape Town
  • Additional production: Arid central plateau known as the Karoo
  • The climate is ideal, but water infrastructure is a challenge
  • Popular olive varieties: Frantoio, Coratina, FS17, Mission, Manzanilla, Kalamata, Nocellara
• A Mediterranean Treasure
  • The Cape wine region has a similar climate to the Mediterranean, perfect for olives
  • Giulio Bertrand’s original plot, Morgenster, paved the way for millions of olive trees in Southern Africa
  • 2018’s oil ranked among the best globally, with a rich, herbaceous taste and notes of pepper and bitterness

South Africa stands as the Southern Hemisphere’s 5th largest olive producer. Harvesting starts as early as March and extends into August. The country leads in olive oil production in Sub-Saharan Africa and ranks 6th in Africa, trailing mostly Mediterranean nations. Over the past 15 years, olive farming in South Africa has boomed. Acreage has more than doubled between 2008 and 2018, with growth still at an impressive 20% per year—a faster rate than any other agricultural sector in the country. For the first time, local table olive production has surpassed imports. In 2020, South Africa generated 1.5 million litres of extra virgin olive oil, with 95% meeting the extra virgin standard.

South Africa’s olive oil is gaining recognition: its Mediterranean-like climate and expanding groves make it a worthy contender in the global market. Keep an eye out—you might find your next bottle hailing from the Rainbow Nation.