Unseasonably warm weather has resulted in an unprecedented fruit fly infestation and lowered an already poor harvest outlook in northern Chile and southern Peru. “The Mediterranean fruit fly plague is causing havoc in the north of Chile and the south of Peru,” said Máximo Karl Paniagua, director of the Azapa Valley Olive Growers Association in northern Chile. When El Niño develops, and there are these excessive heat waves, the conditions for the Mediterranean fruit fly and other pests to reproduce and spread are increased.- Gianfranco Vargas, president, Sudoliva The invasive species – a c ..read more

Seven years after its introduction in France, new research suggests that Nutri-Score has significantly altered the composition and packaging of food products. A new study published in the European Review of Agricultural Economics provides evidence that food producers are changing their products to secure higher ratings from the front-of-pack food labeling system. This scientific study is the first to demonstrate the impact of Nutri-Score on the nutritional composition of food products following its national-level introduction.- Serge Hercberg, founder, Nutri-Score “Our paper analyzes the ..read more

“Olive oils from our small country are among the best in the world, and if I were a tourist, I would buy it as a souvenir,” said Meri Šilović. The editor-in-chief of the Maslina (meaning ‘Olive’ in Croatian) trade magazine – highly influential in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro – celebrated the 20th anniversary of its publication with a panel discussion about olive oil as a tourist brand. As tourism grows in our region, as well as throughout Croatia, so does the demand for our premium olive oils.- Krešimir Uroda, owner, OPG Uroda The event was held in the Klis Olive Museum ..read more

“There has been no normal life here since October 7th,” said Ido Tamir, owner of Ptora. The olive harvest was just getting underway in southern Israel when Hamas militants crossed from Gaza at sunrise, killing 1,139 people and taking an additional 250 hostage. Nothing will be the same as it was before. Everyone is sad; you can feel the sadness all over the country. But I need to keep going. The land and trees are not waiting.- Ido Tamir, owner, Ptora The attack was the deadliest in Israel’s history, with many comparing its impact on society to that of the September 11, 2001, attack on the ..read more

A joint study carried out by researchers from the universities of Castilla-La Mancha, Porto, Lisbon and Palermo has analyzed the therapeutic potential of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol in treating neuroblastoma, a cancer affecting young children. The review emphasizes the role of the Mediterranean diet and olive oil, which contain both polyphenols, underscoring their antioxidant properties, which could bolster cellular defenses and mitigate oxidative damage in neuroblastoma cells. Additionally, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol are shown to induce apoptosis (cell death), reduce side effects from co ..read more

The bass guitarist of a popular Japanese rock band has also become one of the country’s preeminent olive oil producers. Keisuke Maeda, one of the three founding members of Remioromen and founder of Maedaya Olive, recently celebrated winning a Gold Award at the 2024 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition. Founded in 2000, Remioromen has been among the best-selling rock groups in Japan and won the Best Pop Video Award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. After the group disbanded in 2012, Maeda started his second act as an olive farmer. Eleven years later, he celebrated the fruits of his labor with a ..read more

A recent study published in the Italian Journal of Animal Science highlights the potential of olive milling byproducts in ruminant diets, improving the sustainability of both production chains without negatively affecting the animals. Results indicate that olive tree leaves and olive oil pomace, the two main byproducts of the olive oil production process, have minimal impact on microbial communities in sheep rumens and promote sustainability in feeding strategies. Sustainability is paramount in the livestock sector, responsible for an estimated 14.5 percent of total anthropogenic greenhouse ga ..read more

Over the past three years, Elisabetta Petrini and her family have transformed six hectares of partially neglected ancient olive groves in central Italy into an award-winning extra virgin olive oil operation. Al Piglio finished the 2023/24 harvest on a high, earning a Silver Award for its Mezzogiorno brand, a medium-intensity organic Moraiolo monovarietal, at the 2024 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition. There’s so much potential here. Growers and the entire production chain need to recognize that much can be achieved. This is a unique territory with a unique heritage.- Elisabetta Petrini,  ..read more

With the notification of its four awards earlier this week, Avistria became the most decorated Croatian producer in the World Olive Oil Rankings and this year’s NYIOOC. Based in the northwestern region of Istria, the producers earned three Gold Awards and a Silver Award at the 2024 World Competition, bringing their total to 24 since 2018. “We are proud of our successes,” owners Beatrix and Rudolf Nemetschke told Olive Oil Times. “We celebrated each award with friends in Istria and Austria.” See Also: 2024 NYIOOC Coverage The couple reside in Sankt Wolfgang in northern Austria but have grown ol ..read more

Since the 15th century, olive farmers across Florence produced olive oil for the powerful Medici family, which governed the region for centuries. Today, Lapo Gondi’s family farm, Fattoria di Volmiano, continues the tradition with its Laudemio brand. The organic extra virgin olive oil has won a Gold Award at the 2024 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition. We do not intend to give up, and that means things have to change. We need to mechanize operations to reduce production costs and ensure a future for olive oil production.- Lapo Gondi, owner, Fattoria di Volmiano “Winning in New York is, fir ..read more