A recent article in our local paper was headlined "Olive oil prices at record highs".
Having just returned from our trip to Spain in September and being surrounded by a sea of olive trees while there, I was drawn in to read about the olive oil trade and why prices are climbing.
I learned that Spain provides half of the world's olive oil supply.
That there has been a drop in production of 48% compared to the year before.
That the drought in Spain is creating concerns for this next season. It was hot and dry when we were there in September. I think we experienced light rain on only one day.
And that new harvests begin in October.
Other than the bottles above, olive harvesting and production of oil no longer used the tools shown in this exhibit.
Here's a great video that describes the olive farming in Spain.
5 comments:
..this has been BIG news lately.
This raises a very dim memory of a reading of a working olive hacienda. We used it back in geography class in the very early 70s. Although I continued to tach the Eurasia geography course, I stopped using this reading because it was pretty boring material for the kids.
We were talking about this only last night. I used to be lavish (wasteful) with olive oil but not any more.
I cook sometimes with olive oil, but not very often...compared to another family member who has Italian blood, and she puts it on everything, as well as cooks with it. So sorry the olives have suffered from the drought.
I imagine the widespread fires in Spain will also have taken its toll on the olive harvest.
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