Visiting olive oil producers in Spain

A group of agricultural journalists representing 15 member countries of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists recently visited the south of Spain to explore the agricultural operations and opportunities unique to that region. Magda du Toit reports.

- Magda du Toit

The climate and geography in Spain are ideal for the cultivation of olives and therefore also olive oil. About 75% of the country's total production occurs in the Andalusian region in the south of Spain. In total, just over three million tons of olive oil is produced globally. At a steady 1,3 million tons per annum on average over the last few years, Spain is responsible for more than a third of the world's production.

For the top three olive oil-producing countries, Spain, Italy and Morocco, olive oil is a major export product and source of revenue.

What makes agriculture interesting in Spain, especially in the south of Spain, is the fact that most producers are part of a farmers' association, making the industry well organised. The Dcoop Group is a grade 2 co-operative that looks after the interests of a number of smaller individual co-operatives. These co-operatives are owned by 75 000 crop farmers and stock breeders, all operating under the Dcoop umbrella.

"Dcoop is recognised as a Priority Associative Organisation and it is committed to using the efforts of everyone to bring greater profitability to its members by marketing their products in the best way possible and lowering costs," Esteban Carneros, head of corporative relations at Dcoop, said during the media visit.

"Our main goal is to generate wealth and employment in the rural areas," he added.

With more than 100 member co-operatives that deliver olives to the group, Dcoop is the world's largest single producer of olive oil, with an annual average production of 225 000t of virgin olive oil, equivalent to 7% of world production.