The recent bad weather in Greece, called Hephaestion by the meteorologists after the closest friend of Alexander the Great, gave another blow to olive oil production in Crete.
Wind gusts and hail storms swept away the olive drupes from the trees, adding to the woes of the growers and producers of the island, after an earlier hit to the production fruit pathogens had brought.
See Also:2019/20 Olive Harvest UpdatesThe phenomenon mostly affected some areas where olives are picked late in the season since most of the island’s harvest was completed early this year.
“We have some late olive oil making territories, like the Fragka area in Heraklion region, where the olives are harvested in late February or early March,” Myron Hilentzakis, the deputy director of the Agricultural Association of Heraklion, said. “These olives are now gone. It is a tragic situation.”
“For the first time, 95 percent of all the mills on the island ceased their operation at the end of December, and 97 percent of the harvesting was completed,” he added.
Consequently, the current season in Crete is nothing to be proud of, Hilentzakis said, with the total olive oil quantity produced falling far short of projections.
“We had a lot of rainfall in 2019 and we were expecting a prosperous yield of olive oil, estimated at around 80,000 tons,” he said. “But according to data from the local departments of agriculture, the overall quantity is only 37,000 tons. It is a huge decline. And another problem is that only 17 percent of this quantity is extra virgin olive oil.”
Related Articles
Mar. 19, 2024
Registration of Kalamata Olives as Intellectual Property Renews Controversy in Greece
The registration of the Kalamata table olive PDO from Messenia with WIPO will restrict the term's use by table olive producers in Greece, re-igniting an ongoing debate.
Nov. 7, 2024
Harvest in Greece Runs Into Early Problems
The ongoing drought battering southern Greece threatens to reduce this year's expected olive oil yield of around 240,000 tons.
Jun. 12, 2024
Record Olive Oil Prices Drive Food Inflation in Greece
A study from the National Bank of Greece found that record olive oil prices were responsible for almost 50 percent of the increase in total food inflation.
Aug. 19, 2024
The Olive Tree and The Olympics: An Ancient Bond
The olive tree has always symbolized unity and excellence in the Olympic Games.
Apr. 30, 2024
Greek Court Rules Kalamon Olives May Use Kalamata Brand
The supreme court rejected an appeal by Messenia-based growers that only they could use the Kalamata branding, an appellation worth €200 million in exports.
Jan. 2, 2024
Greece to Provide Work Permits to 30,000 Migrants to Curb Labor Shortage
By easing vetting procedures for migrants already in the country, Athens plans to increase the agricultural workforce.
Apr. 9, 2024
The Farm-to-Table Restaurant Bringing the Cretan Diet Back in Vogue
The owner and managers of Peskesi are working to reintroduce the Cretan diet to locals and tourists alike.
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.