Spanish olive oil sector faces price slump and calls for quality standards

Spain's olive oil industry is dealing with two contrasting developments. The Association of Winemakers of the Ribera del Duero (Enoduero) recently held a training session on selecting extra‑virgin olive oil, stressing the importance of the "extra virgin" label, origin, and sensory qualities such as a pleasant fruity aroma and balanced bitterness. Speakers highlighted that, unlike wine, colour is not evaluated in oil tasting and that blind olfactory and gustatory assessment is key.

At the same time, the Spanish Association of Olive Municipalities (AEMO) warned of a "grave impact" from a sharp, unexplained drop in farm‑gate olive oil prices. AEMO’s 2026 cost study shows the average pool price of €3.51 per kilo puts more than 75 % of Spain’s olive groves at loss or near‑bankruptcy, with production costs in many systems exceeding €3 per kilo. President Lola Amo cautioned that allowing the market to revert to €3 per kilo would “push a decisive part of Spanish olive orchards to abandonment.”