Spain: Attempted Theft as Olive Harvest Begins

• Incident Occurred Near Seville: Police discovered seven individuals attempting to illegally gather olives, with one woman hiring a team under false pretences.
• Rise in Olive Oil Prices: Adverse weather and drought have significantly increased olive oil prices, nearly tripling within four years.
• Large-Scale Smuggling: Officers recovered stolen olive products in Seville, including 150,000kg of olives.

As the olive harvest season gets underway in southern Spain, law enforcement prevented nearly half a tonne of olives from being stolen near Seville. The typically valuable olives were an inviting target for opportunistic thieves and organized crime groups. The Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) officers intervened in time, stopping the theft of 465kg of these sought-after fruits near Albaida del Aljarafe. Seven people, caught in the act, were arrested on-site, including a woman who had ostensibly been paid to recruit and oversee a group of pickers. Investigations led to the discovery of fake cargo documents designed to facilitate the unlawful sale of the stolen produce.

Authorities Combat Organized Olive Theft

Throughout the 2023-24 harvest, the Civil Guard detained 48 individuals and probed 371 more for their involvement in olive theft and related crimes. In Seville alone, 129 people faced investigation or arrest for offences ranging from olive theft and possessing counterfeit paperwork to fraud. Officers recovered over 213,489kg of olives and confiscated 150,000kg of stolen olives and nearly 100 counterfeit olive oil bottles. High-value fruits and their “liquid gold” oils continue to lure criminals seeking to capitalize on elevated market prices.

Impact of Climatic Changes on Olive Oil Prices

Over recent years, adverse climatic conditions, including drought and heatwaves, have severely affected olive harvesting, escalating oil prices across Europe. Prices have soared from under €5 to €14 per litre for extra virgin olive oil in just four years. Spain, which produces half of the global olive oil supply, saw its production exceed 851,000 tonnes between October 2023 and May 2024—a partial recovery from the lower yield in 2022, which stood at 664,000 tonnes.

• Climate Change Leading to Olive Oil Shortage
• Grim Scenario: Greece Could End Up Importing Olive Oil from China
• Olive Oil Price Spikes Over 50% in a Year
• Olive Oil Prices 2024 High Due to Market Scarcity and Below Average Harvest
• Rising Olive Oil Prices in Crete: 35% in Just One Month
• Breaking News: Olive Oil Prices Skyrocket in Greece
• Hellenic Food Authority: Warning and Consumer Protection Advice Against Olive Oil Fraud
• 2024 to See a Steep Increase in Olive Oil Prices

As the world’s leading producer, Spain’s olive oil industry continues to grapple with challenges from climate change and criminal activity, underscoring the volatile nature of agricultural economies dependent on favourable weather.