Italy launches €16 million olive oil initiative for low-income families

A new €16 million initiative has been launched in Italy to provide 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil to low-income individuals. The program, requested by Coldiretti and Unaprol, aims to support vulnerable citizens by ensuring access to healthy Mediterranean diet staples while simultaneously protecting the income of Italian olive growers.

The measure is intended to reduce excess stocks of authentic extra virgin olive oil and provide liquidity to agricultural businesses. In the Puglia region, the social impact is particularly significant, as approximately 25.2% of families are currently facing relative poverty.

David Granieri, national vice president of Coldiretti and president of Unaprol, emphasized that healthy, high-quality food should be a right for all rather than a privilege. He noted that public resources must be used exclusively to benefit genuine Italian extra virgin olive oil to prevent market distortions and speculation.