![Suspected adulteration of olive oil composition in Spain [World News]](https://foodcom.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Foodcom_World_News_Plant-Based-1520x760.jpg "Suspected adulteration of olive oil composition in Spain [World News]")
- Spain’s largest olive oil producer points to potential fraud involving adulteration of product composition.
- Insufficient quality inspection of products in the sector could be a problem.
- Olive oil prices in Spain have increased significantly in recent years and the first half of this year due to drought and smaller harvests.
- A significant drop in prices is expected at the turn of the year.
Dcoop boss points to competitors’ fraud
Antonio Luque, head of the cooperative Dcoop – Spain’s largest olive oil producer – accuses rival companies of fraud. This would be to add sunflower oil or pomace to what is described as pure olive oil, with the aim of lowering production costs and the product itself. Luque calls on the prosecution to investigate the case. He also draws attention to the insufficient quality of the company’s inspections in the sector, while pointing to the necessary action of organisations such as Asoliva and Anierac, which are associations of Spanish oil producers. According to Luque, fraud is an open secret that has existed in the oil market for several decades. Introducing traceability requirements for oil, as is the case in Italy, could help.
The state of the olive oil market in Spain in 2024
Spain is the world’s largest producer of olives, exporting them to, among others, the US. The country produces almost half of global olive oil, twice as much as the next leader in the sector, Italy. However, olive oil sales fell significantly in the first half of the year, due to a long period of drought affecting the reduced olive harvest and increasing olive prices. As a result, olive oil also became more expensive, reaching record prices in the last few years. According to Luque, this has given impetus to increased fraud in the sector.
Despite the high price of olive oil, experts predict that its cost will soon fall. A noticeable drop is expected to occur from December or January. Currently, the price of the product in Spain has decreased by 2.5% compared to last year, with the cost of production falling by 13%. However, olive oil production is still too low for there to be a clear price reduction for consumers. The final price of the product will depend on the size of the final harvest, weather conditions affecting the next season’s crop and the level of renewed growth in olive oil consumption.
