Frost and pest generate the biggest drop in production in recent years 25 years
One of the main 'made in Italy' products, and the sacred “oil” of the Italian table, extra virgin olive oil, its days are numbered. Literally.
It is estimated that the severe frosts that hit southern Italy at the beginning of the year reduced olive production in the region by 70%. As if this natural phenomenon were not enough, the olive groves are infected with the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, a very common pest.
As a result, more than 100 workers stopped working. The loss already exceeds the €1,2 billion mark – actually R$5 billion – across the entire sector.
“A fall that was not seen 25 years ago”, says Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti, an association of producers.
To get the government's attention, representatives of farmers in the Puglia region will gain the support of the “orange vests” to protest the lack of action by the government and Parliament to help producers.
The movement's spokesperson, Onofrio Spagnoletti Zeuli, called for the approval of an emergency decree to allocate resources to olive growers.
“We also demand serious interventions against fraud and cartels that force us to lower the prices of extra virgin olive oil, one of the main 'made in Italy' products”, said Zeuli.
“After a lot of empty talk, politicians are forcing us to go to Rome to make them take urgent measures in favor of a sector that is on its knees,” he added. Besides Puglia, the event is expected to bring together olive growers from Sicily, Calabria, Campania, Abruzzo, Lazio, and Tuscany.
The objective is to hold the largest demonstration of olive oil producers in Italian history.
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