Spain's olive industry and agro‑food sector push digitalisation and profitability

A forum organized by BBVA and Diario IDEAL Jaén brought together olive growers, cooperative representatives and regional officials in Jaén to discuss the sector’s need for greater efficiency, new technology and generational renewal. Participants highlighted the importance of internationalisation, carbon‑footprint management and the professionalisation of cooperatives to keep olive production competitive.

Separately, the Observatorio para la Digitalización del Sector Agroalimentario, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Grupo Cajamar, released a comprehensive survey of over 3,400 Spanish agro‑food operators. The study shows a sharp rise in interest in digital tools – from 66.9% to 82.8% in crop farming and from 63.5% to 87.1% in livestock – driven by cost pressures, traceability requirements and environmental concerns. While cooperatives remain the main source of digital advice, 69.1% of larger agro‑food firms now have a defined digital strategy, though smaller firms lag behind. Connectivity is nearly universal, yet many rural areas still experience limited bandwidth, and sensor adoption varies across the value chain.