Mediterranean olive oil output down 40% due to drought, study finds

A global survey of 568 olive growers from 158 countries conducted between November 2025 and March 2026 shows that one‑third of producers (33.7%) lost more than 25% of their harvest in the last three years. The main driver identified was prolonged drought, cited by 50.4% of respondents, with growers averaging 1.66 adverse weather events.

In the Mediterranean, Greece and Italy report the steepest income declines, with about 40% of olive farms experiencing severe production losses, compared with 21.1% in Spain. Overall, 45.8% of olive growers say their earnings fell versus the previous year, and 54.2% feel they are not fairly compensated for their product.