Dalmatian olive oils win 25 medals at New York competition

Olive growers from Croatia’s Split-Dalmatia County achieved a 100% success rate at the 2026 New York International Olive Oil Competition, securing 17 gold and eight silver medals from 25 entries.

On a national level, Croatian producers won a total of 103 gold and 25 silver medals from 144 submissions, representing an 89% success rate. Blaženko Boban, the county head, emphasized the need for greater promotion of the region’s high-quality oils and noted ongoing efforts to co-fund the planting of Mediterranean fruit trees, olive trees, and grapevines, particularly in fire-damaged areas.

Ivica Ljubenkov, head of the Croatian Olive Growers and Olive Oil Producers Association, highlighted challenges facing the industry, including the need for better marketing and improved irrigation for neglected farmland. He noted that domestic oils face competition from cheap, low-quality imports and explained that high production costs are driven by manual labor, with harvesting accounting for 40–50% of the price.