The curtain is coming down on this year’s olive oil season in Crete, and let us say: nobody is throwing olives in the air in celebration.
In the eastern parts of the island, production collapsed dramatically, resulting in an 80% loss. Sitia, which normally clocks in at around 13,000 tonnes per year, barely scraped together 2,000–3,000 tonnes. Similar stories played out across parts of Heraklion and Lasithi, where groves produced far less than growers had hoped for — or budgeted for.
Western Crete, for once, can claim the moral high ground. Chania and Rethymno fared noticeably better, both in quantity and quality, proving once again that rainfall is not just a meteorological detail but an actual life philosophy.
The 70,000-Tonne Dream That Never Happened
While there are no official final numbers yet, one thing is clear: the much-whispered target of 70,000 tonnes for Crete as a whole was… optimistic. Very optimistic.
As former researcher and Director of the Chania Olive Institute, and current scientific adviser to SEDIK, Nikos Michelakis, explains:
“In Sitia, for example, we dropped from an average of 13,000 tonnes to around 2,000–3,000 tonnes. That is an 80% reduction. This is not uniform across the island, but there are also areas in Heraklion with very low yields.”
Translation: Some groves delivered oil, others delivered disappointment.
Rain, Geography, and the Usual Suspects
The east–west divide is not new—Western Crete benefits from higher rainfall, which becomes increasingly scarce the further east one travels.
“We know that Chania receives significantly more rain, and rainfall decreases as we move east,” Michelakis notes.
Weather, however, is only part of the story.
Quality issues were also reported, particularly in eastern Crete. While Cretan olive oil still outperforms many other Greek regions — not to mention Spain and Portugal — problems did emerge.
And no, it was not just “bad luck”.
When the Olive Fly Shows Up, and Nobody Is Ready
Another contributing factor was the ineffectiveness of olive fly control compared to previous years.
Delays in procuring pesticides, late applications, and, in some cases, premature suspension of treatments due to shortages all contributed.
“It is not only the weather,” Michelakis explains. “We were simply not able to achieve the level of olive fly control we had in earlier years.”
The result? In some eastern areas, oil with what tasters politely call “a straw-like flavour” — not exactly what you want drizzled over fresh bread.
This was not universal. Oils sold through auctions were, in many cases, very good, reminding everyone that generalisations are dangerous in olive oil — as in life.
Prices, Expectations, and Reality Checks
Lower quality in some areas, combined with market pressures, led many producers to sell their oil below expectations. The season did not just disappoint emotionally; it disappointed financially.
Exports, meanwhile, continue steadily — but Michelakis stresses a point that comes up every year and still feels radical:
Crete needs to export standardised, branded olive oil, not tanker-loads of anonymous bulk.
This was not a good year for olive oil in much of Crete. Eastern regions were hit hard, western regions held their ground, and everyone was reminded — once again — that olives are stubborn, weather is unforgiving, and systems matter.
