“We have content the 20% increase for milling costs, also trusting in a subsequent tax credit. But we live from day to day and we don't know if, if the soaring energy costs persisted, we could maintain these prices”.
Elia Menta, president of FOA – Frantoi Oleari Associati (in the picture), expresses the concern of his colleagues Sicilia which have opened the new olive growing season since the beginning of September.
“Customers expected higher increases – confides Menta – to have limited them to 3 or 4 cents a kilo of olives, has been accepted well. After all, let's talk about 30 cents per kilo of oil when the prospects let us fear the worst. For the milling costs in Sicily we are in a range between 16/17 euros per quintal in the Trapani area to 23/24 euros in the Messina area. We are confident that we will be able to maintain these prices in October as well, but here the situation is evolving day by day and we don't know what will happen in a week's time".
First estimates also for the prices of bottled oil sold by the mill. “It is recorded in this case – explains Elio Menta – an increase between 15 and 20%. Let's say a bottle that was sold last year at 10 €, is now hovering around 12. After all, too packing and packing costs they have grown out of proportion, glass by almost 40% assuming you can find it, the carton of 30% and so on. Obviously the packaging does not account for the majority of a bottle, so that the increase was able to be contained to a lower range. And indeed for 5 liter cans, conversely, there shouldn't be any increases of any kind”.
Last mention of quantity and quality: “We are facing a lower production of 30% compared to last season. The first collections essentially confirmed the estimates we had given a few weeks ago. Quality, vice versa, is more than good, respecting the best oil tradition of this island”.
