Producers stated that this year was a “no year” in olive production due to the effect of the climate, and signaled that olive oil prices would increase due to the loss of yield.
The fact that the air temperatures did not increase during the summer season and the cold climatic conditions put the olive producers in a difficult situation. In regions where olives are grown, the annual average temperature is required to be between 15°-20°C. The olive tree can withstand this temperature, provided that you irrigate when the maximum temperature rises to 40 °C. However, the fact that the weather conditions are below these degrees negatively affects the production in Turkey. Industry representatives say that this will also affect olive oil prices.
It is stated that olive trees that cannot sleep this year due to climate change give empty flowers, while growers expect a 50 percent loss in olive yield compared to last year. Olive and Olive Oil Sectoral Analysis Meeting organized by Antalya Commodity Exchange (ATB) was held under the chairmanship of ATB Vice President Halil Bülbül. ATB members, olive and olive oil producers attended the meeting.
ATB Vice President Halil Bülbül drew attention to the importance of olives and olive oil for the economy of Antalya and noted that they met with industry stakeholders to discuss the problems of the industry and their solution proposals. Bulbul noted that the problems and suggestions raised at the meeting will be shared with the relevant institutions and organizations. Bülbül thanked those who attended the meeting.
The Year Of No Olive
ATB 4th Committee Member, olive and olive oil producer Zafer Tan noted that this year will be a “non-existent year” with the effect of the climate on olives, which had a good season last year. Tan said, “Last year the winter was cold, the tree slept. This year, the tree did not sleep due to climate change, the shoot continued with the harvest. The olive gave flowers, but it gave empty flowers. A yield loss of close to 50 percent is expected in olive compared to last year.”
According to the news in İhlas News Agency, Tan said that olive oil prices will increase due to the loss of yield, and said, “We will eat olive oil more expensive in the new season.”
Olive Needs Maintenance
Drawing attention to the neglect of olive trees, Zafer Tan said, “The olives in Antalya region have ringed spot leaf disease, this is a fungal disease. If we do not fight this disease, the leaf dries up, the fruit bud under the leaf also dries. The tree with a dry fruit bud does not bear fruit. “If we don’t take care of the olive trees, the olive trees will dry up. First the tree will become moldy, then the machine will become moldy because the machine with which we will squeeze the fruit of the tree does not work,” he said.
Antalya Should Be Branded
Mustafa Fettahoğlu, owner of Ulu Olive Oil Factory, noted that Antalya, the land of olives, has a branding problem in olive oil. Fettahoğlu, who wanted to focus on the promotion of Antalya olive oils, said, “Interest in local products is increasing in the world. We should take advantage of this opportunity.”