Water shortages cause 20% drop in olive oil production

Olive oil production in Portugal is expected to fall by about 20% this year when compared to the previous season. The drop is due to the impact of extreme heat and the lack of rain over the past four months.

“In the crucial months for the formation of olives, we are faced with a difficult scenario, with practically no rainfall,” says the executive director of the Association of Olive Growers and Olive Presses of Portugal (Olivum), Susana Sassetti.

“This year, in relation to the previous campaign, in many areas, olive groves were not able to development olives normally — This situation is worrying the sector, which faces a season marked by great variability between regions and varieties, but with a common trend of reduced productivity,” says the head of Olivum.

The association explains that “in several areas of Portugal, the drought and high temperatures during maturation caused dehydration of the fruit, affecting its productivity,” with Susana Sassetti saying that “even in irrigated olive groves, more water is needed, and its shortage is having a clear impact on the drop in production.”

Source: ECO Online