The supply of large industries distorts the Italian oil geography, placing today five north-central provinces even in front of that of the Bat (Barletta, Andria, Trani) for quantities of extra virgin olive oil set aside. The same province of Bari hardly maintains the primacy, in a scenario of the Italian oil market in which stocks are gradually decreasing to levels that had rarely been recorded in the past.
From the timely report ofFraud Repression Institute on the oil present in Italy, it emerges that around 200 tons of oil are stored in the tanks of the Belpaese today, a quarter less than in the same period last year (when they were 267 thousand): 144 tons are of extra virgin olive oil, of which the Italian one equals 61 tons (almost half compared to the one held on 31 July last year). Slightly exceeds 50 thousand tons the poorest oil – between clear, refined and pomace – which however is obtaining really important prices, as highlighted on Olive News from the punctual quotations of theEconomic Office of the Interregional Association of Olive Producers (which offers us a weekly overview of the domestic and foreign markets).
Despite the price increase (wholesale costs 9 euro kilo for Italian extra virgin olive oil), sales were sustained, taking into account that in one month (from 30 June to 31 July) stocks decreased by over 32 tons, the highest level in recent months.
Coming to the curiosity in the premise, we find that the largest stocks of extra virgin olive oil, with the exception of Bari (over 20 tons in the farmhouse), are in central-northern Italy with Perugia (16.443 tons), Siena (12.911), Florence (10.485), Lucca (7.062) and Imperia (6.934) that overlook the bat (6.898) and all the other southern provinces, in particular those with a greater olive-growing vocation, namely the other Apulian, Calabrian and Sicilian provinces.
Looking to the organically grown products, I am 27 thousand tons still available in Italian tanks, but less than half (44%) produced in the country. Little less than 10 million litres DOP and IGP certified oils in stock, 70% of which belong to Dop Terra di Bari, Igp Toscano, Dop Val di Mazara and Igp Sicily.
To read the complete report, complete with all the available tables, click here.
