Slovenian olive oil producers meet only 20% of demand

Business, / By Sta

Šempeter pri Gorici - Only between 15 and 20% of olive oil consumed in Slo comes from local producers, while consumption is on an increase, currently standing at around one litre a year, which is only 4.5% of total consumption of vegetable oils, representatives of the industry told a press conference on Thursday marking World Olive Day.

Olive oil production in Slovenia is characterised by very small and scattered olive plantations. The average size of an olive plantation is 0.3 hectares, and only 4% of all olive plantations are bigger than one hectare. The small size of plantations, their fragmentation and unclear ownership of land plots are the limiting factors for the development of olive growing, representatives of the Association of Olive Growers said at the event in Šempeter pri Gorici. Ever more high-quality olive oil, cheaper than Slovenian, is coming to the market, while some olive growers are already abandoning the practice as they do not find it to be profitable. Slovenian olive oils are usually of better quality than imported ones, they added, noting that in Slovenia, one hectare of olive plantation has between 200 and 300 trees, while in Spain this number is up to 1,000. This year's harvest in the western Primorsko region will be comparable to last year's, according to the association's head Miran Adamič. It will be around 20% below the expectations because of the weather conditions, while quality will be good.

Tags: agriculture, Food, statistics