Drought hits olive oil production in Spain

Olive oil production is in danger in Spain.

The dry seasons and the lack of rainfall forecast in the country are negatively affecting one of the most important agricultural products in Spain. The country is expected to produce some 800,000 tons of olive oil this year, up from 1.4 million tons in 2022.

“Last year I harvested about 22,000 kilos. And this year I harvested less than half as a result of the drought,” says farmer Cesario de Josa.

According to reports from the Meteorological Agency (Aemet), the winter of 2021-2022 has become the second driest in Spain since 1961, with drought as the protagonist. It has also issued a serious warning: this may become a “long-term drought”.

In Jaen, the province from whose fields most of the Spanish oil comes, the drop in production translates into losses of millions of euros. Farmers like José Pérez choose to produce oil solely for their own use.

The consequence of this blow to production is that the prices of olive oil, predictably, they will continue to climb. Something that is already happening in the midst of rising prices due to inflation.

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