- Olive oil production in Lassithi has plummeted to 30% of peak output.
- Severe drought threatens the survival of olive groves next season.
- Farmers refuse to sell their high-quality olive oil at current market prices.
- Ongoing irrigation issues and dry weather leave groves struggling to recover.
- Local farmers call for urgent financial aid and long-term water solutions.
Read more about the crisis in Lassithi olive oil production here.
1. A Harvest Barely Worth Mentioning
The latest olive harvest season in Lassithi is staggering to a close by mid-February, marking one of the worst years on record. Once a region producing around 30,000 tons of extra virgin olive oil during good years, Lassithi now limps to just under 9,000 tons—an embarrassing 30% of its potential. Even the typically lush, high-altitude groves couldn’t escape the damage, as drought and heatwaves drained every last drop of hope from the soil.
And the kicker? The olive oil that has been produced is of top-notch quality, with acidity levels ranging between 0.2 and 0.5. The brutal summer heat may have tortured the crops, but it managed to fend off the pesky olive fruit fly. Small victories, right? Except farmers can’t rejoice when they’re staring down empty bank accounts.
2. Water Shortage or Policy Shortage?
This is where Lassithi olive growers flip the table. The ongoing water crisis has gone from bad to biblical, with almost four consecutive years of drought throttling the region’s olive groves. Without reliable irrigation, the next harvest season seems destined for disaster. Farmers are so fed up that they’ve contacted the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, demanding emergency financial aid. Their plea? To stop the slow death of their beloved groves, which are already showing signs of collapse.
In Sitia, olive oil production didn’t even hit 3,000 tons, compared to its once glorious peak of 12,000. Meanwhile, the situation is equally grim in Ierapetra, with output plunging to 30% for irrigated groves and zero—not even a drop—from the non-irrigated ones. It’s as if lawmakers are too busy ignoring Mother Nature’s warning signs to care. A few murmurs of water management measures won’t undo years of negligence.
What the Farmers Are Saying:
- Lassithi producers are holding onto their olive oil, citing insultingly low prices.
- Sitia’s cooperatives sold a limited amount at €5.60/kg, but that’s insufficient to ease financial woes.
- Tiny lots sold by smaller farmers fetched a mere €4.50-€4.70/kg, hardly worth the effort.
- Most insist their labour is worth at least €6/kg—a fair price given the impeccable quality.
Proposed Solutions (or Lack Thereof):
- A general assembly in Ierapetra will examine water rationing at local reservoirs.
- Bureaucratic red tape is stalling the approval of backup wells.
- There’s even talk of desalination units along the southern coastline—a move so overdue it’s almost laughable.
If February and March don’t bring rain, it’s game over. Without snowfall in the mountains or heavy rainfall in the valleys, the reservoirs will stay barren, and irrigation efforts will fall apart. In that case, the only things thriving in Lassithi will be despair and political apathy.
