The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will consider a new standard of identity for imported olive oil after a citizen’s petition filed by the North American Olive Oil Association and the Spanish giant Deoleo last month.
Among the proposed regulations is a 0.5 percent free fatty acidity (FFA) maximum for extra virgin olive oil, lower than the current 0.8 percent limit set in international standards.
The proposed change was regarded in Greece as an illegitimate attempt by Spanish olive oil conglomerates and their American partners to bypass competition from Greece and Italy in the wake of U.S. tariffs.
Spain was hit with a 25 percent tariff for bottled olive oil to the U.S. last October, which impacted almost half of its annual exports headed to the American market.
Since then, many Spanish producers have started to bottle their olive oil in Portugal or Tunisia to elude tariffs, while leaving less room for profits, the Office of Financial and Commercial Affairs of the Greek Embassy in Madrid said in a market research analysis.
In a recent meeting, EDOE, the Greek Interprofessional Organization of Olive Oil, informed the minister of agriculture, Makis Vorides, about the petition filed with the FDA and asked for his intervention to protect the country’s olive oil production from what they consider “illicit practices,” Agro24 reported.
The ministry’s press release of the meeting contained no reference to the request.
EDOE said in a statement to Olive Oil Times that the contemplated changes would cause turbulence and further harm to Greek olive oil exporters.
“Such measures are not in favor of Greek producers,” they said. “It would be totally different to create a new category of high-quality olive oil with a lower acidity level than extra virgin like the extrissimo classification once proposed.”
“Lowering the maximum acidity of extra virgin to 0.5 percent from 0.8 percent will degrade several quality olive oils and will create market imbalances and unfair competition among suppliers of the U.S. market with a negative effect on prices and exported volumes of Greek extra virgin olive oil,” EDOE wrote.
Related Articles
Aug. 7, 2024
Hazara’s Olive Oil Boom Lays Roadmap for Pakistani Sector
Systematic grafting and planting programs, new mills and efforts to educate farmers and millers have resulted in a rapid rise in production in one critical Pakistani region.
Jul. 15, 2024
As Value of Tunisian Exports Soar, Packaged Olive Oil Struggles
Olive oil export revenues in the first seven months of the 2023/24 crop year nearly doubled in Tunisia, but many producers are not reaping all the benefits.
Nov. 7, 2024
Meet the Retailers Working to Grow Oleotourism Sales After the Vacation Ends
Alicia and Vijay Shroff, co-owners of an olive oil specialty store, have launched a project to deepen the connection between oleotourism operators and visitors.
Apr. 10, 2024
Farmers Protest European Agricultural Policies in Madrid
The protestors demand exceptions for European environmental regulations that they argue make their products less competitive on the global market.
Jun. 5, 2024
Pompeian VP Says Baltimore Bridge Disaster Cost Company Millions
While the company was able to receive its most recent shipment of European olive oil through the port, the measures taken after the disaster were unsustainable in the long run.
Sep. 5, 2024
Bringing Peloponnesian Flavors to American Kitchens
The producer behind Kosterina believes there is a place in the American kitchen for Koroneiki olive oil produced in its place of origin and traditionally cured Greek olives.
Sep. 27, 2024
Climate Chaos Wreaks Havoc on Chilean Harvest
High winter temperatures in the north and relentless rain in central Chile combined to create a perfect storm for olive growers, resulting in the lowest production levels in a decade.
Jun. 26, 2024
Rising Olive Oil Imports Contribute to Spain’s Trade Deficit with Argentina
While Spain’s agricultural trade deficit fell by 33 percent between 2022 and 2023, olive oil imports increased by nearly 230 percent due to a poor harvest and rising prices.