Agriculture: He never produced so much oil in Portugal.
The country must overcome 120 tons and set a milestone, comparable to the 1953, but it is not expected a sharp drop in the price.
Domestic production of oil is expected to exceed this year the 120 tons and become a historic campaign, There are very similar to what occurred 64 year old, when they qualify 121,8 thousand tons, the highest value since records, started in the late 40.
According to the website “Cash Money, Global Media Group publication, It is thus achieved three years in advance the goal of 120 tons that Olive House had set for 2020. From this year, organization of the sector estimated that the national average yields can reach 130/140 tons per year.
It's not just a matter of weight. The Information System for Agricultural Markets (SMOOTH) considers the campaign that is now ending as "exceptional" also by the yield in olive fat, i.e, with the same amount of olive gave greater quantity of oil than normal, specifies the House of Olive Oil. As a result, production has less acidity and is almost entirely classified as "extra virgin", Full SIMA.
For the record production have contributed the weather of spring, which gave high flowering and fruit set ensured the, and the dry and hot weather at the end of cycle, that caught the spread of disease. Mariana Matos, Secretary General of the Olive House, It adds that the production is marked by years of crop, as the 2017, with contrassafra years, as above. The increase in olive grove area was another compelling reason, especially in the Alentejo, what is, at least, from 2007, the largest oil producing region of the country, very under Alqueva. In a decade (2006-2016), Alentejo production tripled, continuing Tras-os-Montes to the second position.
Effects in price?
Despite excecionalidade, Portugal will be the ninth largest producer of olive oil, with 2,7% of production, according to the International Olive Council (WATCH). In 2015, for example, I was best told, the eighth, although with the same percentage contribution in the production.
One of the good campaign impacts already have translated into increased income of producers, taking into account the price rise paid for extra virgin olive oil, last year, an average value of € 3.81 per kilo, more 15% face a 2015, for example.
nonmarket, SIMA noted that, in bulk transactions, in early March, extra virgin olive oil sold in five-liter bottles came to € 5.10 per liter, Tras-os-Montes. But the organic olive oil from the Alentejo was the 10 € per liter.
As for the impact on the price to the final consumer, the Olive House admits that "there may be some correction, but while world stocks meet the current low levels, it is not expected a sharp fall in prices ".
Bit on the plate
But the frenzy of production has not infected the Portuguese habits. Olive oil consumption in Portugal has remained stable, we 7,1 kilos per inhabitant per year, according to the National Statistics Institute, and arises only in tenth place in world consumption, with a slice of 2,4%.
The producers found themselves, therefore, for export. More than an increase in the quantities exported, What has been significant are the values ​​achieved in foreign sales, which have been growing consistently, at least, from 2006, only a two-year break in the interval, to get to 2017 with the highest value of this period, of 510,4 million, Eurostat estimates do.
Last year, It even happens we export less to Spain and Italy, but to win more money, with an increase of 41,6% in sales to Spain and more 19% to Italy, It is the neighboring country our main destination, followed by Brazil, Italy, Angola, Poland and France, a different ranking than two years before, when Angola held the first and third Spain.
According to the IOC, Portugal have reached 2017 as the fifth largest exporter, in external trade, with 4,4% do mercado. In 2015, ranked fourth.
To meet the growth in exports, the country also has resorted to imports. unsteadily, in 10 year old, they went from 70 thousand tons, by 228 million, to 101 thousand tons, in 2017, by 359 million.
good productivity
In the largest national oil producer, the Sovena Group, holder of the most productive area in Alqueva and one of the largest oil mills in the world, production in Portugal, through its subsidiary Elaia, reached 120 tons of olive (the quantity of oil was not disclosed).
"It was a year of very good productivity, thanks to the availability of water and good practices that are also responsible for the good quality of the final product ", said Luis Folque, Company administrator. "The growth of own production Sovena is something that should continue as there are still new areas to go into production".
Recognizes that Portugal was, in 2017, one of the countries with better productivity worldwide, alongside Italy, Tunisia and Turkey.
