Rather than waiting for the outcome of a judicial review of the ban or abandoning projects altogether, some developers are turning to the exemption for so-called agri-photovoltaic (PV) projects, where solar panels raised at least 2.1 meters above the ground are integrated into ongoing agricultural activities.

Among the companies making the pivot is CCE Italia, which produced olive oil from one of its agri-PV projects in central Italy. 

 ”Companies like ours must evolve from solar PV to agri-solar PV projects,” Sandro Esposito, CCE Italia’s managing director, told Olive Oil Times. “ This is a new economic sector where we can combine perfectly the agronomic side with the company.”

Esposito discovered about 1,000 olive trees on a plot of land purchased by the company for solar panel installation in the Canino comune of the Lazio region.

With the passage of the Agricultural Law Decree in May 2024, he saw an opportunity to leverage the company’s renewable energy resources to create a competitive advantage in the agriculture sector.

The company invested €200,000 in relocating the Canino trees, which were aged between 50 and 70 years, to create space for a more compact photovoltaic layout and to install a solar-powered irrigation system.

At the end of 2024, CCE Italia harvested olives for the first time, producing 700 bottles of organic olive oil on the same estate as the 14-megawatt solar plant, which is expected to be connected to the grid this year.

Esposito said that using solar power has significantly reduced the company’s irrigation costs and decreased the carbon footprint of the olive oil. 

“The energy needed for the production came only from renewables,” he said. “So the carbon footprint of this olive oil is negative,” citing additional technology to capture carbon at the solar plant.

Rather than sell the olive oil, Esposito said the company will give the bottles away, using them as a communication tool to promote synergy between olive oil production and other agricultural activities, as well as solar PV development.

“ In the evaluation of the old business model, at the end, you have an impact on the capital expenditure side for the buildup [of the agricultural side of the agri-PV project], but you will also have the income stream gained from selling [the wine or olive oil],” he said.

Indeed, Milan-based Elemens Energy Boutique Consulting estimated that 62 percent, or 94 gigawatts, of solar projects undergoing permitting in Italy would not be affected by the ban, as they would benefit from the carveout for agri-PV projects.

While Esposito plans to expand from olive oil production into cheese and winemaking with new agri-PV developments centered around vineyards and sheep pastures, he lamented the politics behind the ban.

“If we want to cover all our needs from renewables within 2050, we need only two percent of all the agricultural land in Italy,” he said. According to Italia Solare, only 0.13 percent, or 16,600 hectares of Italy’s available agricultural land, is covered by utility-scale solar. 

Despite Esposito’s claim, there has been significant pushback from some portions of the country’s agricultural sector against utility-scale solar. 

Coldiretti, Italy’s most powerful farmers’ union, welcomed the ban when it was announced, citing the need to prevent institutional investors from buying large swaths of farmland to develop solar projects or resell at higher prices to developers. 

“We cannot accept the shortcut of photovoltaics,” said Luigi Pio Scordamaglia, Coldiretti’s director of international policies. “We don’t want to accept the inertia of an administration that decided not to invest and improve irrigation. We want to realize the full productive potential of that land again.”

Esposito, other developers and consultants in the sector have denied that any speculation is occurring. Indeed, other farmers have hailed the partnership between solar developers and farmers as a lifeline. 

“Photovoltaics are a salvation for us, a gift from the heavens,” Emanuele Bocchicchio, a farmer in the southern region of Basilicata, told the Financial Times. 

Bocchicchio earns €3,000 per hectare per annum from the 44 hectares he rents out to a local solar developer. The farmer said the land is fallow due to a lack of irrigation, combined with an increasingly hot and dry climate. 

“No one is obliged to give their land for solar panels, it’s a free choice,” he said. “In marginal areas like this, it’s vital.”

An estimated four million hectares of designated farmland lie fallow in Italy, approximately one-quarter of the total, due to poor soil quality, a lack of irrigation, and labor shortages.

“This government has to look at the reality of the farmers: every year the climate conditions are a little bit worse,” Camillo Rossi, a lawyer who has leased about 100 hectares of his family’s agricultural land to a solar developer, told the Financial Times. 

“We don’t have the potential to irrigate. That’s what determined the choice of solar panels,” he added.

Four olive trees have been infected by the aggressive pathogen in the Barletta-Andria-Trani province, a region responsible for nearly half of Apulia’s olive oil production.

The latest infections were confirmed by the laboratories of the Institute for the Sustainable Protection of Plants, which is part of the National Research Council (CNR).

These findings are a direct result of the extensive monitoring activities carried out in the Apulian region by local institutions, researchers, and volunteers.

Since January, nearly 250 samples have been collected and analyzed in the Bisceglie area, mostly from olive trees, along with a few from other species, such as wild cherry, which are considered susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa.

The discovery of infections north of Bari triggered a nationwide alarm, coming less than three months after the most recent Xylella outbreak found in Minervino Murge, about 60 kilometers from Bisceglie.

In both cases, the subspecies “pauca” of Xylella fastidiosa was identified; the strain has already devastated southern Puglia for over a decade.

Oronzo Antonio Milillo, president of the Apulian Federation of Agronomists, told AndriaViva magazine that the alert level is currently very high due to the specific characteristics of the infection, which are still being investigated.

“The bacterium typically spreads only a few hundred meters per day, so it’s reasonable to assume that a vector may have unknowingly transported it along the road. This is a possibility we must seriously consider,” Milillo said, referring to insects that often attach to cars and can easily be transported over long distances by unsuspecting vehicles.

In a note published on the Apulian Regional Council website, regional authorities explained that all service areas along the motorways are currently being inspected.

It is believed that the insect vectors responsible for the new infections may have traveled aboard trucks stopping at these service areas.

“On the other hand, if the spread is due to a natural movement of the vector, we should already have found, or will likely find through further testing, intermediate areas of infection. That’s why the alert level is extremely high,” Milillo added.

Twelve years after Xylella fastidiosa began infecting millions of olive trees in the southern Salento area, the new findings have reignited concerns about the potential economic consequences of a renewed outbreak.

“We are talking about an area… where olive growing is the leading open-air industry, with significant numbers of jobs and household incomes tied to the sector,” said Gennaro Sicolo, president of the Apulian branch of the Italian Farmers’ Confederation (CIA).

“If strong action is not taken immediately, the situation could spiral out of control in the metropolitan area of Bari and the province of Foggia as well,” he warned.

As prescribed by European Union regulations, a 400-meter-wide area around the infected trees is currently undergoing thorough sampling of olive trees and other Xylella fastidiosa-susceptible plants.

The infected trees will be removed through procedures designed to prevent the further spread of the bacterium. A new red zone has been declared within a 50-meter radius of the trees.

Within a 2.5‑kilometer radius around the infected areas, a buffer zone has been established, marking the area as potentially affected by Xylella fastidiosa.

This designation enables special territorial surveillance and plant monitoring. 

Within the buffer zone, strict mandatory preventive actions are being implemented, primarily aimed at preventing the spread of insects that carry the bacterium from one plant to another.

Both the CIA and the olive oil producers’ association Unapol have called for a new national plan to combat Xylella fastidiosa and to allocate more funds for the recovery of olive cultivation in the affected areas, primarily through the use of Xylella fastidiosa-resistant olive cultivars.

“The four infected olive trees are all in a roadside service area near Bisceglie. Both the trees and the land they occupy were neglected for a long time,” Giuseppe di Niso, spokesperson for the Bari chapter of the farmers’ association Confagricoltura, told BisceglieViva.

“In that area, the mandatory maintenance work was not carried out as required by current regional regulations on Xylella fastidiosa prevention,” di Niso said.

He urged people not to panic but to comply more strictly with the regulations governing preventive measures.

Those measures have already been shown to significantly slow the spread of the bacterium, for which no cure currently exists.

“I can’t say that all my fellow farmers follow the guidelines against the bacterium,” Pietro Maggi, a farmer in Barletta-Andria-Trani, told Olive Oil Times. “But I can say that awareness is growing, we all know we need to stand together if we want to contain the damage at least.”

Francesco Ricci, whose family coined the term, insists that Agrumato is a registered trademark that describes their brand and is not a production method, an adjective, or a verb. 

“It’s a proprietary and secret recipe,” Ricci told Olive Oil Times through a translator, Rolando Beramendi, an award-winning importer and the founder of Manicaretti Italian Food Importers, who sells Agrumato in the United States. “For example, you will never know what’s in Campari or Coca-Cola.”

Unsurprisingly, Ricci declined to share many details about the process, which he spent much of the 1980s tweaking and fine-tuning before releasing the first Agrumato on the market after the 1989 harvest.

Instead, Ricci insisted that only immediate family members, including his children, know the recipe, whom he hopes will continue the Agrumato legacy.

“It’s olives and lemons being crushed together and going through the same process as extra virgin olive oil,” he said, highlighting that Agrumato is made using dedicated milling equipment.

Ricci added that Gentile olives are key to Agrumato, as they are locally grown, have a mild flavor profile that does not clash with the citrus flavors, and ripen at around the same time as the citrus, allowing the company to harvest quickly and mill both fruits concurrently.

Along with lemon, the Ricci family sells Agrumato, made with orange, blood orange, bergamot orange, tangerine, citron, and lemon, along with herbs.

The secret to Agrumato’s success, which Beramendi said popularized the flavored olive oil category and has held up as the gold standard of its production, lies in the proportions.

“So everybody copied that, but imitation is the greatest form of flattery,” Beramendi said. 

Indeed, searching for the term “agrumato method” in any mainstream search engine yields pages of olive oil producer websites, many of which are from California, where Agrumato was first imported by Beramendi in 1991. These websites describe a method of co-milling freshly harvested olives with a range of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Beramendi and Ricci frequently send cease-and-desist notices for the incorrect use of the term, but this has not stopped some of the largest olive oil producers in the U.S. from publicizing “agrumato method” or “agrumato style” olive oil on their websites.

Part of the reason for the judicious protection of their intellectual property stems from the rigorous process the Ricci family had to undergo to have the product certified as extra virgin.

“When we first came out with the product and had to have it certified, I went to the University of Perugia… and had to fight quite a big battle to be certified extra virgin olive oil with lemon,” Ricci said. “The chemical analysis of the product shows it is 100 percent an extra virgin olive oil. It has aroma and a hint of flavor, but to all intents and purposes, it’s an extra virgin olive oil.”

According to the International Olive Council, any grade of olive oil, including extra virgin, is a single-ingredient food and cannot contain additives. 

“Flavored oils cannot be considered olive oils,” and they cannot be labeled as such under IOC rules, former executive director Abdellatif Ghedira told Olive Oil Times in 2018.

Ricci and Beramendi disagree, pointing to the certification from the University of Perugia, and stated that they do not engage in debate over the nomenclature of flavored olive oil. 

Instead, they point to public enthusiasm for the product as evidence that the name is just right, including awards in 2023 from the Specialty Food Association and the Fancy Food Show for the then-newly released Agrumato Bergamotto.

More broadly, Ricci explains that he believes flavored and infused olive oil are helping to bring chefs and regular consumers into the world of olive oil. Beramendi agreed, citing personal experience working with prominent chefs from leading California restaurants. 

“I see it as a product that broke the glass ceiling,” he added. “Agrumato was an important pillar of why people started to use extra virgin olive oil as a finishing oil. It was a pioneer.”

Along with the U.S., the Ricci family exports Agrumato to 17 other countries. The United Kingdom is the second-largest market, with Australia, Germany, Japan, Singapore and South Korea also representing significant markets.

Ricci estimated that Agrumato sales account for approximately 95 percent of the business, with the remaining 5 percent comprised of sales of three monovarietal extra virgin olive oils and Pan’Agrumato, a panettone made with Agrumato.

With two recent reports forecasting that the flavored olive oil market will nearly double over the next decade, rising from $1.29 (€1.19) billion in 2024 to $2.47 (€2.10) billion by 2033, Ricci and his imitators are hoping to capitalize on the category’s momentum and continue to grow market share for Agrumato and other co-milled olive oil.

The region, known as the spur on Italy’s boot, is home to a large national park and is considered one of the most ancient areas of olive oil production in the country.

There, blending Coratina olives with the autochthonous Ogliarola Garganica cultivar, Oleificio Fratelli Vieste crafted its Aurea brand, which earned a Silver Award at the 2025 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

The family-run farm and olive oil mill, founded in 1985, has 20 hectares of orchards, primarily dedicated to Ogliarola, Coratina and Leccino olive trees, but thrives on close relationships with local olive growers.

“This is our fortieth year, and many producers have been with us for a very long time,” Raffaele Vieste, co-owner of the company, told Olive Oil Times.

The mill’s activity originated from a long-standing family tradition of olive farming.

“Our model is based on synergy. We know the producers, we talk with them, and we select the best batches. This allows us to work with different oils and offer variety,” Vieste said.

“We know which olives come from each grove, how and when to harvest them, and how to process them at their best. It’s a job built on mutual knowledge,” he added.

Aurea is made from olives harvested early in October, when yields are low but the aromatic profile is more developed.

“When we harvest so early, the yield does not even reach eight percent,” Vieste said, meaning that for every 100 kilograms of olives processed, no more than eight kilograms of oil are extracted, a yield considered relatively low.

“It’s a risky, even uneconomical, choice, but that’s when Ogliarola Garganica expresses its best notes: almond, vanilla, a hint of tomato,” Vieste said. “It’s a complex yet delicate oil. People appreciate it for its balance.”

According to Vieste, in Aurea, the intense, structured oil from Coratina, a well-known Apulian cultivar, is balanced by the milder Ogliarola.

“In recent years, people tend to bring extreme olive oils to competitions, with very strong fruitiness,” Vieste said.

“We prefer to preserve the identity of our land. Ogliarola must always be there. It is our signature. Even when we use Coratina, we aim for balance, not strength for its own sake,” he added.

While the company produces a wide range of products, including extra virgin olive oil with different profiles, its focus remains on the Ogliarola Garganica cultivar.

“For us, it’s not just a variety, it’s identity. It is an olive oil that, when processed well, tells the story of this land like no other,” Vieste said.

“It has a thousand nuances. Depending on the harvest time, it can range from mild and sweet to intensely green and fruity,” he added.

In recent years, the Vieste farm, like all producers in the region, has had to contend with droughts and heat waves.

“We find ourselves harvesting at 24 ºC in November. We used to start after November 1st, when the cold weather would arrive. Now, that cold seems to have vanished,” Vieste said.

Harvesting olives under such conditions requires extra effort to maintain quality, as high temperatures affect the trees, the fruits and the harvest schedule.

“Climate is the main challenge, even more than pests. Olive trees need cold to rest. When the rhythm changes, everything changes,” Vieste said.

To adapt to the impacts of climate change, the company has adopted targeted agronomic practices.

“We’re lucky to have nearby groundwater. Emergency irrigation saves us during critical periods,” Vieste explained.

A crucial part of this adaptation is specialized pruning.

“It may seem trivial, but giving trees the right shape is fundamental. Pruning helps the tree breathe, produce better and withstand heat,” Vieste said.

“Here we have a strong tradition of pruners. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer of them. Still, some have recently started teaching the new generations,” he added.

Other practices focus on maintaining soil fertility.

“We try to keep the soil alive, with vegetation cover to retain moisture and support the roots,” Vieste said.

Sustainability is integral to the company’s vision. “We recover everything: olive pomace, olive pits, even pruning residues. We use the pomace as fertilizer, the pits as biomass. We’re planning a biogas plant powered by waste,” Vieste said.

“Some of these practices were used in the past. Today, they are becoming essential again. It’s not just an environmental choice, it’s also an economic one,” he added. “The relationship with consumers is another cornerstone. The farm offers tastings and guided tours of the world of olive oil. Vieste said that consumers are changing as their awareness about olive oil grows.”

“Today, visitors often arrive already informed. They know what to look for, and they recognize defects. Ten years ago, it wasn’t like that,” Vieste recalled. “It’s a cultural effort that’s bearing fruit,” he added.

The Vieste family can now showcase visitors the results of many years of producing high-quality olive oil.

“Authenticity cannot be improvised. It is the result of history, difficult choices, and daily work,” Vieste said. “We continue along this path, convinced that Italian extra virgin olive oil still has so much to say to the world.”

A landmark for Italian producers, Ercole Olivario is a national competition for the best extra virgin olive oils, organized annually by the Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce for Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture (Unioncamere), in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Umbria.

During the closing event, the organizers handed out trophies consisting of miniature replicas of the temple of Hercules Olivarius, built in Rome in the 2nd century B.C., from which the name of the contest originated.

Twelve extra virgin olive oils – half of which were Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certified – out of 116 finalists were awarded after assessments carried out by a panel of 16 experienced tasters representing the competing regions.

The panel leader Stefania D’Alessandro led the team composed of Antonietta Altieri, Giuseppe Giordano, Francesco Girardi, Antonietta Matteo, Erika Pozzetto, Stefano Roggerone, Gianfranco Pontoglio, Donatella Di Sebastiano, Paolo Di Paolo, Nunzia Floriana De Palma, Piera Bacciu, Giovanna Montalto, Franco Pasquini, Piero Damiani, Erika Betti and Stefano Scuppa.

“The quality of the extra virgin olive oils participating in this edition was extremely high,” the tasters said unanimously after the tasting sessions. 

They observed how, despite the many challenges of recent years, the Italian producers have been able to constantly improve their expertise both in the field and in the mill.

Lazio was the most awarded region with four accolades, followed by Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, and Sicily, each with two awards. Tuscany and Sardinia each obtained one recognition.

Another dozen special awards were presented, including a mention for the best organic extra virgin olive oil, which went to a producer from Lazio. Additionally, two producers from the same region were recognized for the best monocultivar, along with one producer from Campania and one from Puglia.

The latter region was the most awarded, with four accolades, at La Goccia d’Ercole (The Drop of Hercules), the section dedicated to small-scale producers. Puglia was followed by Umbria, with two awards. Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria, Campania and Calabria each took home one award.

Ercole Olivario has always been a showcase for the Italian producing regions. Over the last few years, oleotouristic initiatives have been put in the spotlight by the competition through the introduction of a new award, the ‘Giorgio Phellas Oleotourism Mention of Merit’, intended for companies that invest in the sector. This year’s mention went to a Sicilian company.

“We must continue to work on the territories with promotional actions to link food to tourism.”

said Andrea Prete, the president of Unioncamere, during the award ceremony. “We aim at enhancing a quality oleotourism offer, with a view to meeting the ever-growing demand.”

A distinctive feature of Ercole Olivario lies in preliminary selections. Every year, the extra virgin olive oils that participate in the national competition are selected during a first round of assessment by regional panels. 

In Lazio, this led to the creation of a regional contest for the best extra virgin olive oils, which, over time, has gained a reputation. The Premio Roma Evo, held at the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, is now in its 32nd edition.

Among the winners is Azienda Agricola Alfredo Cetrone. After earning one of the first prizes at Premio Roma Evo, it entered the national competition, where it ranked first in the category PDO/PGI Intense Fruity with its Daje Colline Pontine PDO and second in the intense fruity category with its Cetrone In.

“It is a great satisfaction to win in this prestigious contest, and especially in the PDO and PGI category, since we have a special bond with our territory and we aim at highlighting it,” co-owner Giulio Cetrone told Olive Oil Times.

His company manages 20,000 Itrana olive trees spread across 100 hectares of mainly terraced terrain at elevations of 450 to 500 meters above sea level in Sonnino, in the province of Latina.

Traditionally processed for table olives in Lazio, where it originated, this olive variety has also been widely used in recent times to create excellent extra-virgin olive oils, often characterized by herbaceous and tomato notes.

“Our family has a long tradition of olive growing, and I am the fifth generation to manage these orchards,” Cetrone said. “We used to produce table olives until my father, Alfredo, had the intuition to harvest earlier and to use Itrana to obtain a monovarietal. This choice turned out to be successful.”

“Most of our plants are centuries-old and some of them are likely a thousand years old,” he added. “Our youngest olive trees were planted to produce oils with different profiles, but also aiming at biodiversity conservation. We collected cuttings of the different ecotypes of Itrana from across the province. We therefore planted them on a flat plot to form rows, each representing a town on the Pontine Hills. This is a further way to praise and protect our beautiful territory.”

Registration is now open until September 30th for Extra Cuoca, a contest dedicated to professional women chefs working in Italy and other countries. Ercole Olivario will award the best recipes created with the winning extra virgin olive oils.

More information on Extra Cuoca and a complete list of 2025 Ercole Olivario winners, including those from the table olive competition, can be found on the organization’s website and social media pages.

Carroccia Campodimele is situated on the hills near Campodimele, approximately 130 kilometers south of Rome, on the edge of the Aurunci Mountains Natural Park. 

Approximately 3,700 Itrana olive trees are planted on terraces bordered by dry stone walls. The celebrated olive variety is easily identifiable across the region’s groves.

“We just received authorization to reinforce and expand the dry walls. Now we can more easily access about 90 percent of our groves,” Paolo De Filippis, an olive oil taster, co-owner, and manager of the family-run company, told Olive Oil Times.

De Filippis and his cousin charted a new path for Carroccia Campodimele nearly 20 years ago, focusing on quality and expanding from three to ten hectares.

Their producing experience pairs family history with a unique feature of the Campodimele village.

The small town with slightly more than 550 residents is known for its extraordinary demographic trait: it is one of the longest-lived communities in Italy.

Often referred to as the “village of longevity,” Campodimele has been the focus of numerous scientific studies examining the high number of centenarians within its small population.

Researchers have linked this longevity to a combination of genetics, physical activity associated with rural life, low stress, and a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, legumes, and olive oil.

For the Carroccia family, whose groves are situated in the surrounding area, this connection between land, lifestyle, and health is woven into their identity.

The extra virgin olive oil’s label features a top-view image of Campodimele, anchoring their oil to values of wellness and natural living.

“Itrana is so special, and our parents knew that. They planted only that cultivar so long ago,” De Filippis said. “Itrana can make a perfect olive oil, with its unique and balanced aroma, but it’s also ideal as a table olive.”

Gaeta olives, a specialty from southern Lazio, are grown on Itrana trees and carry a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification, ensuring quality and authenticity, as recognized by the European Union.

Itrana’s olive oil, on the other hand, represents the central portion of the Colline Pontine olive oil, which is also a celebrated PDO.

According to De Filippis, the whole family is involved in the farm’s activities, sharing a deep emotional bond with their land and the Itrana olive.

“We are in love with this cultivar,” he said. “When you taste an Itrana-quality extra virgin olive oil, the first thing you notice is its aroma, a very fragrant olive oil that conquers the palate and the soul.”

According to De Filippis, their olive oils have a high phenolic content, approaching 900 milligrams per liter.

“It has a balanced profile, a noticeable but harmonious bitterness, and an interesting spiciness,” he explained, noting a resemblance to the well-known Sicilian Tonda Iblea cultivar.

The family harvests early in the season.

“We aim for quality. During harvest, you’ll only see electric tools in the fields,” De Filippis highlighted, referring to concerns about contamination from petrol engines.

“We love everything green. The farm has been organic from the start. We don’t even know what chemicals are,” he said.

De Filippis explained that they avoid pesticides and prioritize natural treatments focused on sustainability and soil health. For fertilization, he described a composting system using manure and olive pruning remains.

“We let it sit in a dedicated spot for a year to mature, then apply it to the trees, in the shade of their canopy,” he said.

Though already certified organic, the Carroccia farm is now transitioning to biodynamic farming, part of a growing trend across Italy.

The biodynamic approach stems from the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, a controversial social reformer and founder of anthroposophy, which integrates spiritual awareness into life, teaching and agriculture.

“You have to believe in it, really believe it mentally. And you also have to accept lower yields and reduced profits. But it means producing better and more sustainably,” De Filippis said.

While the farm does not have its mill, De Filippis uses a local facility dedicated to a few organic producers. “If the goal is quality, you cannot mix your olives with those of uncertain origin,” he said.

Carroccia Campodimele’s quality was confirmed once again, with a Gold Award for its organic medium-intensity Itrana monovarietal at the 2025 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

For De Filippis, the company’s fourth NYIOOC accolade in as many years is more than a recognition of quality.

“First of all, it’s very rewarding,” he said. “I’m the one who tastes our olive oils, and when the oil I selected wins a Gold Award, I’m very proud of our work.”

Still, these are challenging times for olive growers across the Mediterranean, including those in Lazio.

“We are living through climate change. It’s fast, and we are all a bit unprepared for what’s happening,” he explained.

They are considering irrigation, although the hilly terrain poses a challenge.

“We’re working on it, monitoring the trees day by day. The trees’ resting period used to be longer, and that may affect production,” he said, hinting at the increasingly short winters experienced by Lazio growers.

The farm relies on the reinforced dry walls to improve soil and water retention. It is also starting a collaboration with a local agronomist to boost climate resilience.

“Today, we just had a great fruit set, then came sudden heat, stressing the trees. And then yesterday we were hit by a hailstorm, with hail as big as walnuts,” De Filippis said.

“Producing quality olive oil presents many challenges, and they vary from farm to farm,” he added. “But the one challenge we all face is climate change. It demands inventiveness and long-term investment. We must be proactive.” 

On the foothills of Mount Guardiabella, an offshoot of the Prealps, Tèra de Prie cultivates 4,500 trees scattered over 15 hectares of terraced orchards at 300 to 400 meters of altitude. 

The groves are located throughout the hamlets of Aurigo, Borgomaro and a few other villages of the Impero Valley, near Imperia.

“This area has always been rich in stones and trees,” co-owner Nicola Ferrarese told Olive Oil Times. “The first peoples who arrived here, the Ligurians and then the Romans, started using the tree wood to build their boats and collected the stones to create the terraces, turning a problem into a resource.”

Hence, the name of the company, Tèra de Prie, which in the Ligurian language means ‘land of stones’ or ‘land made of stones.’ The company logo depicts a stylized human figure wielding a magaglio, a local word indicating a type of three-toothed hoe. It can be seen as a farmer hoeing, gearing up for the olive harvest or struggling to fix a retaining wall.

The latter image evokes the constant maintenance required by the terraced plots, whose slope gradient is at least 45 degrees. Every year, the company restores between 180 and 200 square meters of dry stone walls on the property.

The result of this commitment towards the territory, shaped by a thousand years of heroic farming, is Tèra de Prie Biologico Monocultivar Taggiasca, which earned a Gold Award at the 2025 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

“Our work of preservation has not only a historical and cultural value – just consider that UNESCO recognized the art of dry stone walling as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – but it also has other major implications,” Ferrarese said. 

“A good maintenance of the dry stone walls drastically reduces the hydrogeological risk,” he added. “Due to the importance of this activity, the European Union covers part of the cost necessary for their restoration. However, well-done work always requires an extra amount of expense, as well as additional efforts.”

The use of traditional agricultural techniques, such as dry-stone terraces, is widely recognized as an adaptation measure to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The E.U. manages funding programs, such as “Using Dry-Stone Walls as a Multi-purpose Climate Change Adaptation tool,” the goals of which are to restore and maintain dry stone walls in a long-term manner, as they enable excellent water drainage and effectively minimize the risk of landslides and floods.

“Among their environmental benefits, these walls provide a specific natural ecosystem for many species,” Ferrarese said. “Moreover, they act as temperature regulators, creating a microclimate, thanks to the stone’s ability to store the heat of the sun and then to release it.”

Ferrarese manages the company alongside his father, Franco, and last year, his wife, Sonia, joined the team to oversee marketing and business initiatives. The couple has two children, eight-year-old Andrea and six-year-old Francesca, who has already shown interest in the family’s commitment to olive production.

“Every year, our kids are the first tasters of our extra virgin olive oil, and they love getting involved in the harvest, which for them is an exciting experience,” Ferrarese said. “Speaking of the link between generations, most of these lands have been passed down to us from our ancestors. Both my mother’s and my father’s families were, in all likelihood, olive growers since 1700.”

The origins of their entrepreneurial venture date back to the mid-1980s, when Franco Ferrarese began revitalizing an abandoned olive grove.

“He then recovered other plots and we started making oil for household consumption,” Ferrarese said. “After purchasing some neighboring land, at the end of the 1990s, he established a small mill, and in 2000, he created a company.”

In 2011, the farm was certified organic. In 2016, Ferrarese joined his father in managing the business, and together they founded Tèra de Prie.

“We have a precious collaborator, Emad Balat, who began working with us 25 years ago, and today he is a true expert in the construction of dry stone walls. His skill is invaluable. Building this type of wall without using binding material not only takes effort but also calls for great expertise,” Ferrarese said. “Emad and I also take turns in managing the company mill, equipped with advanced Mori-Tem technology.”

“Another great collaborator, Zeka Ilmi, works in the olive groves all year, and in the summer he takes care of our vegetable garden,” he added. “This is where we source the vegetables for our hotel’s restaurant.”

The Ferrarese family manages a hotel in Diano Marina, whose catering section is supplied with extra virgin olive oil and other fresh, organic agri-food products from their farm. The hotel guests can participate in olive oil tastings and tours of the farm and mill.

“We organize events for our guests and for all those who want to visit our olive groves and the milling facility, which is regularly updated with the best technical innovations,” Ferrarese said. “We make an olive oil tasting, and I give them some information about these terraces and the history of Ligurian agriculture, trying to convey both our passion and some useful information to recognize a good extra virgin olive oil.”

The company’s pursuit of quality has always been closely tied to its commitment to environmental sustainability. Before applying for organic certification, the Ferrarese family began focusing on organic methods of production.

“We minimize tillage and let the spontaneous herbs grow on our terraces to improve biodiversity and attract beneficial insects,” Ferrarese said.

“We mow grass just once a year before harvesting, and actually, I can say that the wild boars help us practice green manure, as they loosen up the soil under the trees while in search of food,” he added. “Indeed, our olive groves are rich in wildlife, and we aim to preserve this healthy environment.”

Most of the plots face southwest, offering excellent exposure to the sun that benefits the Taggiasca olive trees. The orchards also include a few dozen trees belonging to yet unknown varieties, which ancient farmers used to improve pollination. The company is currently studying them in collaboration with a university research group.

The average width of a terrace is approximately three meters, but in some cases, it can be as little as two meters. As a result, each terrace typically contains one row of olive trees, while only a handful have sufficient space for two rows. For optimal use of space, due to logistical and safety reasons, the company conducts regular and meticulous pruning of its olive trees.

“The activities on these orchards can often be strenuous, and especially for this, our collaborators deserve to work in a serene and pleasant environment,” Ferrarese said. “I believe that the respect for the land cannot be separated from the respect for and enhancement of people who work and live in it.”

“Every time we hire someone, even just for a season, the first oil that comes out of the mill goes to them, because they helped us create something unique like a high-quality extra virgin olive oil,” he added. 

“True quality is not an end in itself, but aims at everyone’s well-being. It seeks the common good and acts in the best interest of the entire community. This is what we strive to do, and it is reflected in the care with which we protect this fascinating territory.”

According to the new report of the central inspectorate for quality protection and anti-fraud of agri-food products (ICQRF), more than 8,200 of 54,000 food inspections targeted vegetable oils, with most of them related to extra virgin olive oil.

Using a network of laboratories maintained by the inspectorate and its partner universities, ICQRF found that in nearly 15 percent of the samples taken, the declared contents of the containers did not match the actual contents.

Overall, 23 percent of samples yielded “irregular results,” meaning the contents of the container did not match the labels or there was some other mistake in identifying the product.

Inspectors found 19 percent of the operators to be noncompliant with current regulations.

In 2024, 72 criminal reports, 896 administrative sanctions, 843 formal warnings and 76 seizures corresponded to the olive oil sector.

Altogether, authorities confiscated 455,000 kilograms of non-compliant olive oil valued at more than €4 million.

These figures make olive oil one of the most heavily sanctioned sectors in the Italian agri-food system.

This focus is no coincidence. Olive oil is considered a high-risk sector due to its susceptibility to fraud.

According to ICQRF, one of the keys to the anti-fraud operations is the national digital olive oil registry (RTO).

The RTO is a system meant to trace the olive oil supply chain at the national level. It allows authorities to control and monitor in real-time every movement of olives, olive oil and olive pomace oil.

All olive traders, olive oil mills, bottling companies, bulk olive oil traders, refineries and pomace dealers must maintain an updated registry for each of their facilities.

According to ICQRF, the national digital olive oil registry, combined with broad controls in the region and the deployment of a specialized police force to detect fraud, is a globally unique feature for preventing food fraud.

In its report, ICQRF included several examples of the numerous coordinated operations conducted by the agency and its specialized police forces in 2024.

In Veneto, discrepancies totaling more than 72,000 kilograms were identified between physical stock records and digital registry records.

In Umbria, authorities uncovered a fraudulent scheme involving E.U.-origin oil passed off as Italian, along with blends of seed oils and lower-grade olive oils sold as premium extra virgin olive oil.

In Tuscany, investigators shut down the sale of counterfeit extra virgin olive oil made from seed oil and pomace, colored with chlorophyll and beta-carotene.

In Campania, 8,000 liters of falsely labeled extra virgin olive oil were seized after tests revealed adulteration with sunflower oil and synthetic colorants.

One of the largest seizures occurred in Bari province, where 340,000 kilograms of unregistered, organic, virgin olive oil, worth approximately €3 million, were confiscated.

In Liguria, 18,000 liters of E.U. olive oil were sold as high-value Taggiasco Italian oil, while €230,000 worth of product was traded off the books.

In the province of Rome, more than 100,000 liters of irregular olive oil destined for restaurants were taken off the market.

Some enforcement efforts extended beyond Italy’s borders. Following a tip from French authorities, Italian inspectors intercepted mislabeled extra virgin olive oil at the border, leading to the seizure of nearly 92 tons of vegetable oils and more than 10,000 falsely branded packages.

In 2024, agri-food exports from Italy exceeded €70 billion, eight percent more than in the previous year.

As a whole, the agri-food sector represents 15 percent of the Italian Gross Domestic Product, with a turnover exceeding €200 billion.

“This remarkable achievement would not be possible without an effective control system that ensures the authenticity and safety of our products, safeguarding the reputation of ‘Made in Italy’ and protecting the work of producers who follow the rules,” Francesco Lollobrigida, minister of agriculture, food sovereignty and forests, said during the presentation of the report.

“Controls play a crucial role along the entire supply chain, from farm to table. Competent authorities such as ICQRF are at the forefront of ensuring that Italian products meet high quality standards,” he added.

“In addition to territorial surveillance, ICQRF works in partnership with international bodies, e‑commerce platforms, and customs offices to prevent the spread of falsified and counterfeit products, which threaten the reputation of ‘Made in Italy’ in global markets,” Lollobrigida continued.

“Thanks to these activities, thousands of falsely labeled products are seized each year, protecting both consumers and producers who invest in quality and authenticity,” he concluded.

They are eaten at any time of day, from a quick snack to an appetizer, such as a pasta dish with olives, or a main course featuring fish and olives.

Every year, Italy consumes more than 120,000 metric tons of table olives, according to data from the International Olive Council (IOC). Only a few Mediterranean countries have higher consumption levels.

Taggiasca, Italy’s most prized table olive

In Liguria, in northwestern Italy, the term “Taggiasca” refers to the most popular local olive cultivar, whose trees dot the mountains and the coastlines of the region. It is also a symbol of pride and identity for the entire territory.

“Olives are the centerpiece of any aperitif or antipasto,” Fausto Scola, owner of Scola Restaurant in Savona, told Olive Oil Times. “That means Taggiasca olives, the only one that deserves to be consumed.”

While many Taggiasca olives are available on the market, ready to be taken from sealed jars, most restaurants prepare their own, using their own recipe.

For his olives, Scola uses a personal brine formula. “Our brine has ten percent salt and gets changed every two months to ensure that the olives maintain their profile and sapidity,” he explained.

The Ligurian salad known as condiglione becomes a celebration of the Taggiasca olive. Tomato, bell pepper, anchovy, hard-boiled egg, red onion, oregano and the brine all come together in this traditional dish.

“The brine is essential because it adds savoriness without compromising the flavor of the olive,” Scola said.

The chef added that he seldom cooks Taggiasca olives when using them in food preparation, as this would upset the delicate balance of flavors.

“In less-than-perfect cooking conditions, the olive turns bitter and, in any case, loses its unique characteristics. You might not even realize that you are tasting a Taggiasca,” Scola said.

“It’s better to use them as a final garnish on hot dishes, if anything, to preserve their aroma and texture,” he added.

Its unconventional use, such as in savory tiramisu, demonstrates the versatility of this olive.

“The dominant flavor there is that of the Taggiasca itself, with a layer of olive pâté and an outer dusting of olive powder, between two layers of cheese,” Scola said.

The savory tiramisu, which borrows its name from the iconic Italian dessert, is often seen as a fine dining dish that blends tradition with an innovative twist. It is frequently served at buffets and is ideal for highlighting the quality of the ingredients.

The different flavors of olive cultivars

While Ligurian chefs are proud of what many consider the most celebrated table olive in the country, table olives in Italy come from a wide range of olive cultivars.

Their taste and texture vary from north to south, leading to different uses in regional cuisines.

A clear example of regional significance can be found in the Marche region with olive all’ascolana. These large green olives are stuffed with meat, breaded and fried.

The Ascolana olive is a centerpiece of festive tables and pizzerias and was granted PDO certification in 2005 as Olive Ascolane del Piceno. PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) is a European Union certification that ensures the quality and local origin of specific foods.

The recipe, found throughout the region, calls for green olives filled with a mixture of beef, pork (and sometimes chicken), Parmigiano cheese, and nutmeg. They are then breaded and deep-fried.

In Puglia, the southern region where most of Italy’s olives are grown, local chefs utilize cultivars such as Bella di Cerignola, renowned for its large size and juicy flesh, along with Sant’Agostino, Peranzana, and Santa Caterina.

There, olives are added cold to friselle, warm to focaccia and used in both hot and cold traditional dishes prepared for holidays and special occasions.

“There are over 540 olive varieties in Italy, dozens of which are suitable for table olive production,” Roberto De Andreis, table olive tasting panel leader, author and olive oil producer, told Olive Oil Times.

Each region works with its own cultivars. In Tuscany, varieties such as Frantoio, Leccino and Santa Caterina are commonly found. In the north, around Lake Iseo and Lake Garda, Sbresa and Casaliva are cultivated.

In Ligurian cuisine, olives are also used in dishes like Ligurian rabbit, where they are added at the end of cooking to preserve aroma and texture.

In Sicily, Nocellara del Belice olives appear in caponata and pane cunzato, a rustic bread dish topped with tomatoes, anchovies, and olives. They are also used in scacciata, a savory stuffed bread prepared during festive periods.

Throughout southern Italy, including regions such as Calabria and Campania, olives are often seasoned with chili, garlic and herbs, then served warm or used in dishes like focaccia and meat.

In Campania, the well-known reddish Gaeta olives are a key ingredient in traditional dishes, such as spaghetti alla puttanesca—a pasta dish featuring tomatoes, olives, anchovies and capers.

Different preparation methods

Not all table olives are the same. Beyond the cultivar, the key differences lie in the methods used to make them edible after harvest.

The natural brine method, or “olive in salamoia” process, is by far the most common way to treat olives in Italy.

“First, the olives are harvested, cleaned, the stems and leaves are removed, and then washed to eliminate any soil residues,” De Andreis said.

“They are then placed in a brine solution with a salt concentration of around nine to ten percent,” he explained.

This method triggers natural lactic fermentation, during which the pH of the olives drops from approximately seven to below four.

“Once fermentation is complete, the olives are sorted to remove any that may have physical defects,” De Andreis said.

A fresh brine, lighter at around four percent salt, is then prepared for packaging. The goal is to allow consumers to open the jar and enjoy olives that are ready to eat, with no rinsing required.

“The jars are pasteurized, heated to 85 ºC for at least 15 minutes, and then quickly cooled down to prevent the olives from becoming too soft,” De Andreis explained.

“This process preserves the olives naturally, maintaining their flavor and texture while ensuring they are safe to consume,” he added.

Another method sometimes used for large olives is the Sevillian method, or Spanish method.

“In this case, the olives are first treated with a 1.5 percent caustic soda solution, followed by fermentation in brine,” De Andreis said.

On the market, it is also easy to find completely black olives.

“They come from another method known as the Californian method,” he said. “It uses air and ferrous gluconate and requires sterilization in an autoclave at 130 ºC. It is a faster approach, but it offers less nutritional value.”

After this process, the black olives all look the same. “And they lose most of their taste,” De Andreis said.

“The natural brine method is the best way we have to preserve the true character of an olive and maintain its nutritional value,” he added.

Scola sees a more personal and cultural dimension in how olives should be served.

“It may be a losing battle. Still, I keep telling people to take it with the brine. It won’t hurt you. It’s good for you,” he concluded.

“We have been olive growers and producers for centuries,” he told Olive Oil Times. “Our archive documents report oil supplies to Pope Leo XII, even before his election in 1823, from one of our estates that belonged to the branch of the Misciattelli. Also, the Bernardini have been landowners and farmers since at least 1600, and managed a mill and a winery.”

Today, the ancient family building, in the village’s historic center, houses the company’s headquarters and store. It is also the residence of Misciattelli Bernardini and his life and work partner, Elena Gorelli, who also comes from a family of farmers in Tuscany.

Their home on the upper floors and the farm shop on the ground floor of the mansion define an all-Italian style of warm hospitality.

“All those who arrive in Allerona are welcome here. We will offer them a glass of wine and a bruschetta drizzled with our extra virgin olive oil, for free,” Misciattelli Bernardini said.

“Within the walls of the old town, we are a few dozen permanent residents, and tourists are present from Easter to early September. We opened this small store here, which, from an economic perspective, doesn’t make much sense. But we just love this way of working and living,” he added.

Customers and visitors are invited to enjoy the charming garden of the residence, which features a summer lounge adorned with frescoes from the late 1800s.

“Elena and I greet not only our customers but all the travelers who visit Allerona, which is in the circuit of Italy’s most beautiful villages, and invite them to sit at our table,” Misciattelli Bernardini said. “We welcome them to our home. Sometimes we spend even hours together talking, during which there is always an enriching human exchange.” 

“We are always glad to give them tips to have a pleasant stay, and through the tasting of our products, we introduce ourselves, our company and the territory to them,” he added.

Hospitality is a passion for the couple, who manage two agritouristic structures, including one in the countryside of Montepulciano, Gorelli’s hometown. 

Their farmhouse accommodation in Allerona comprises four apartments surrounded by an olive grove, which is part of a 120-hectare estate that also cultivates vines and cereals.

The orchard is made up of 1,000 Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoio trees. About 300 olive trees were recovered by the company last year, which aims to increase production while preserving the landscape.

“Many olive groves have been abandoned in the last decades, as it happens often in these marginal hilly areas,” Misciattelli Bernardini said. “Initially, we wanted to plant new trees, but then we realized that there was no point in creating new orchards when we already had wonderful trees that just needed to be rejuvenated. So, we started recovering them, also with the intent to restore the land contours.”

“However, we don’t want to enlarge the production capacities much,” he added. “A bigger company should be managed differently. This is an approach to business that many see as starry-eyed, but working according to our entrepreneurial vision continues to bring us great satisfaction.”

Misciattelli Bernardini worked alongside his father until the late 1980s and then took over the reins of the company, which had previously sold oil in bulk. In 2000, he and Gorelli decided to reorganize the business and created two extra virgin olive oil brands.

“Some years ago, I became friends with a neighbor, who, after retiring from another job in Milan, moved here, where his father had worked as an agronomist and had connections with my family,” Misciattelli Bernardini said.

“We often exchanged advice, as he also started making olive oil,” he added. “This collaboration gave me a new boost, since I saw how much he loved this place as well, despite coming from somewhere else. Together, we decided to apply to get the Protected Designation of Origin for our products, with the intent to highlight the territory.”

Ripalta was then certified as Umbria Colli Orvietani PDO, and a few years later, at its first participation in the 2025 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, this outstanding blend of native varieties received a Gold Award.

“We pick the first olives for this extra virgin olive oil around mid-October, then we collect those for Aristide, named in honor of my great-grandfather Aristide Bernardini,” Misciattelli Bernardini said. “They are both blends, with different characteristics, which allows us to satisfy different tastes.” 

“We do not have a company mill and we don’t intend to have one, because there are excellent millers whom we can rely on,” he added. “We are now collaborating with the milling facility managed by Paolo Brizi in Orvieto, which boasts the latest generation Alfa Laval equipment.”

During the year, the company implements eco-friendly farming practices on the estate, aiming to improve soil health and promote local biodiversity.

“We manage our orchards sustainably, also considering that we are the first consumers of our products, but primarily to preserve this precious environment,” Misciattelli Bernardini said. “Our company started several years ago to use the no-tillage technique, a now increasingly widespread regenerative farming practice to favor the growth of spontaneous plants under the olive trees and limit soil erosion.”

“Let me say that everything we do is not only for our company, but above all for this land,” he said. “I live and work here because I deeply love this village, which is where I have my roots. This is my heart’s place, and I am committed to respecting it.”

To preserve the traditional olive landscape, the company has maintained the extensive planting patterns of the orchards, which feature a spacing of six meters by six meters or even greater.

“The olive trees in this area were almost all wiped out by the great frost of 1956, then from the still living ancient stumps the new trunks were reborn, which is why they appear as relatively young,” Misciattelli Bernardini said.

“I do believe that we farmers should act as custodians of the territory,” he added. “And I am convinced that places like these, where the beauty of the territory goes hand in hand with the healthiness of the environment thanks to sustainable farming, can be an example for an agriculture that looks at the future of the new generations.” 

“Moreover, we have so much history behind us, and all of these elements contribute to the quality of our productions,” Misciattelli Bernardini concluded. “Within a bottle of our extra virgin olive oil, you will find its rich history, its wonderful territory and its healthy environment. It’s precisely here that I, as a quality producer, can make a difference.”

A bargain price, considering that the average price of Italian extra virgin olive oil at origin has been fluctuating at double that cost in the last few weeks.

“It is a good price,” Alessandra Rossi, a mother of two, told Olive Oil Times while examining the special discounted offer. “I wonder about quality, though,” she added while looking at the label on the bottles: it indicates that the product does not come from Italian olive trees, as it is a blend sourced from imported extra virgin olive oil.

In a nearby supermarket, another olive oil offer is promoted for the same substantial discount: €4.99 per liter of extra virgin olive oil.

Some pallets and cartons placed in the very center of the shop ensure that all incoming customers are well aware of the ongoing discount.

Offers such as those began appearing since March across the country. Promoted as low-cost offers, such sales are considered legal only when their special-price duration is limited to a handful of days.

As Italian olive oil prices at origin remain stable on the country’s main markets, large retailers promote products from little-known or previously unheard-of brands that carry Italian names.

Still, those extra virgin olive oils are mostly blends sourced through bulk olive oil imports from the Mediterranean Basin.

Spanish, Tunisian, and Turkish olive oil, whose quotations are significantly lower on the main markets, represent the perfect source of olive oil for retailers aiming to entice consumers with super-discounted extra virgin olive oil bottles.

In a country with a substantially stagnant economy and declining olive oil production volumes, supermarkets rely on well-established strategies.

The significant distance between the Italian product’s price at origin and the discounted prices reveals the challenges Italian producers face in staying on the market.

Italian farmers’ associations and other stakeholders in the olive oil production chain, such as the many olive oil mills spread throughout the country, have protested for years against such discounts.

Italian growers and olive oil millers say they cannot compete with those prices.

“Continuous promotions, which we have criticized for a long time, have devalued the product, treating it like any commodity and impacting the entire supply chain, which is forced to operate without fair compensation, particularly in the agricultural sector,” Andrea Carrassi, general director of the national producers association Assitol, told Olive Oil Times in 2024.

Alberto Statti, president of the Calabrian branch of the farmers’ association Confagricoltura, also underlined the hidden risk of such discounted offers in a 2020 interview: “Those offers make consumers believe that extra virgin olive oil comes cheap.”

A well-known study by Maria Lisa Clodoveo warned in 2020 that such discounts could open new space on the Italian market for lower-quality olive oil blends.

“Selling off extra virgin olive oil means to condemn olive groves to extinction, because a culture that does not provide a fair income to the guardians of biodiversity, the olive growers, is a culture with no social, economic or environmental sustainability,” Clodoveo said at the time.

In neighboring Spain, the world’s largest olive oil-producing country, farmers and consumer associations are urging market authorities to investigate the current dynamics of olive oil prices.

In May, the Coordinator of Farmers and Ranchers Organizations (COAG), the national agricultural union, lodged a formal complaint with the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC), Spain’s competition authority.

According to the complaint, the prices of olive oil in the market are being artificially manipulated, potentially violating Spain’s competition laws.

COAG’s complaint focuses on a significant discrepancy between the price paid to olive oil producers and the estimated fair market value.

According to COAG, a study conducted by the universities of Jaén and Córdoba, along with the Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), shows that the average price paid to producers is approximately €3.50 per kilogram. In contrast, the fair market value is estimated at €5.55 per kilogram.

COAG noted that the €2 per kilogram gap could result in losses of up to €2.8 billion for olive growers during the current season.

According to the agricultural union, the observed price discrepancies are not justified by production data or market conditions, suggesting possible collusion among market operators to suppress prices.

Should such practices be confirmed, they would violate current competition regulations.

COAG’s initiative follows previous concerns raised by consumer rights organization FACUA-Consumers in Action.

In April, FACUA accused six major supermarket chains of engaging in a “non-aggression pact” by uniformly setting prices for their private-label extra virgin olive oil.

FACUA observed that after one of them reduced its price to €5.55 per liter, the other chains quickly matched this price, raising suspicions of coordinated pricing strategies.

Both organizations are requesting an immediate, comprehensive investigation, which they believe is crucial to protect the entire olive oil production chain.

“Not everyone knows that producing extra virgin olive oils with recognized health-promoting properties is costly, and those who buy low-cost oil should be aware that they are simply purchasing a lipid-based condiment mechanically extracted from a fruit, not a functional food capable of acting as a disease-preventing agent,” Clodoveo wrote in her research in 2020.

“In fact, the reputation of being a ‘powerful healer’ or a ‘nutritional fragrance’ currently applies to only a very small portion of the retail market, accounting for roughly ten percent of the extra virgin olive oils available,” she added.



In the meantime, the discounted olive oils pile up in Rossi’s cart as she approaches the supermarket cashier.

• Huffington Post

The Italian producers and millers received the highest number of awards for the tenth year in a row, making their entry in the Official Guide to the World’s Best Olive Oils with a record 163 Gold Awards and 37 Silver Awards. 

They also have submitted the highest number of entries, 258, just two short of the record 260 entries set in 2021.

Such significant figures crown a successful decade, during which farmers across the country have consistently proven their quality and demonstrated an ever-growing expertise in crafting outstanding blends and monovarietals. 

Overcoming pressing issues, such as the effects of climate change and increased production costs, they have remained true to the value of sustainability, implementing organic and regenerative practices that are now widely adopted among top-tier producers.

The 2025 NYIOOC saw a massive participation of producers from central and southern regions of the country, including Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily, Umbria, Campania and Lazio. 

Entries also came from Liguria, Marche and Abruzzo, as well as the island of Sardinia, and the northern regions of Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige.

“We had a great harvest, thanks to a good distribution of rainfall throughout the year, not excessively long dry periods and that, in any case, prevented olive fruit fly outbreaks,” said  Daniel Ronca of Frantoio Il Mandorlo.

“The flowering was very good both in terms of ‘mignolatura’ (bud growth) and pollination, so let’s say it was an ideal year,” he added.

His family’s company received a Gold Award for Il Mandorlo Bio, an organic blend primarily composed of Frantoio and Moraiolo, with smaller percentages of Leccino and Pendolino.

Scattered over six hectares of organic land, their 2,000 olive trees thrive on the Florentine hills, north of the Tuscan capital, where the company mill was established in 1974. Today, the facility boasts the latest generation technology.

“We also work for third parties, and some of our clients participated and won awards at the NYIOOC,” said Ronca, who has been in charge of the milling operations since 2019. 

“This adds to the satisfaction of obtaining our Gold. We decided to participate in the World Competition because it offers prestige and recognition, as well as through tools like the Olive Oil Times World Ranking,” he added. “Since we have customers in the U.S. and worldwide, our participation was aimed precisely at giving them further proof of the quality of our oil.”

In the adjacent town of Pontassieve, the hamlet of Sieci is home to the organic producer La Gramigna, which received a Gold Award for its Olio Grullo, a Maurino monovarietal.

This and other native varieties, such as Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo and Pendolino, for a total of 6,000 olive trees, many of which are centuries old, are cultivated on the hills east of Florence by Renata Conti and her family.

“This oil is the result of a great harvest, probably the best of the last years, both in terms of quantity and quality, but also of the great care that we put in producing our extra virgin olive oils in our small, state-of-the-art mill,” she emphasized. “The NYIOOC is an important showcase on the international market, and this award pays off our commitment to quality.”

“We have chosen this name for our oil because we like to joke a bit,” Conti pointed out, referring to grullo, a regional word often used affectionately to describe a loopy person. “The label, which my son designed, includes a ‘funny story’ that changes every year.”

Deep corporate values counterbalance light-heartedness in packaging. The company is firmly committed to protecting the environment, maintaining soil health and preserving the landscape.

“Our orchards are sustainably managed, and renewable energy sources power our facilities,” Conti said. “Furthermore, we are engaged in safeguarding the beauty of this landscape, both carrying out recovery interventions of abandoned olive orchards and planting new trees, also aiming at restoring the hydrogeological cycle.”

In northern Lazio’s Tuscia, an excellent harvest earned Pietro Re top honors for Tamia Gold Organic, at its tenth accolade, and Tamia Caninese Organic, at its seventh Gold Award.

“I am glad to say that this is our tenth successful World Competition and we rank seventh among the Italian companies in the World Ranking,” Re said.

At the Sergio Delle Monache farm in Vetralla, he enhances native varieties, including Caninese, used to create the namesake award-winning monovarietal, along with Maurino, Frantoio, Bolzone and Leccino, some of which are accurately blended to create the flagship blend, Gold Organic.

Favorable weather during the warm months secured an excellent fruit development. The olives were then crushed in a latest-generation mill in the area.

“The World Competition is a global reference point and gives us producers visibility, also thanks to [its] effective communication system,” Re noted. “Indeed, we became known to our importers thanks to the Best in Class that we won at our first participation in 2014, and from that moment on, we have participated every year.”

Producers in the south had to face more challenging weather conditions, primarily due to drought, which in some cases led to lower production volumes; nonetheless, quality remained high.

Among the Apulian extra virgin olive oils recognized in the Official Guide to the World’s Best Olive Oils, three monovarietals were produced by I Pavoni in Cerignola: Pavoni Masseria Fortificata Coratina, at its seventh Gold Award in a row; Pavoni Masseria Fortificata Peranzana, at its second Gold Award; and Pavoni Masseria Fortificata Leccino, which received a Silver Award (its sixth accolade).

“We had a medium to low production in terms of quantity, but the quality was still excellent,” owner Giovanni Simeone said. “Last summer was dry, but we could irrigate the orchards and overcome this issue. Drought is certainly one of the most urgent challenges at the moment. Therefore, we recently invested in building a new well and improving our irrigation system.”

An ancient masseria lies at the heart of the estate, which encompasses 30 hectares of organic olive groves featuring 9,000 trees of various varieties, including the native Coratina, Peranzana, and Bella di Cerignola, as well as Ascolana, Nocellara and Leccino.

“After converting to organic farming, at our first participation at the NYIOOC years ago, we obtained a Gold Award. It was thanks to this competition that we found our current importer and entered the international market,” Simeone revealed, adding that today they export almost 60 percent of their production to the United States.

In Sicily, the Mandranova farm is situated a few kilometers from the southern coast of the island, in Palma di Montechiaro, in the province of Agrigento.

“This year, we participated in the World Competition with Selezione, a new blend that we have created in the mill with our Nocellara, Biancolilla, Cerasuola and Giarraffa,” co-founder Silvia di Vincenzo specified after receiving a Gold Award for this extra virgin olive oil made up of autochthonous varieties.

Promoting biodiversity and protecting the environment are core values of the family company. The Mandranova estate spans approximately 180 hectares and encompasses nearly 40 hectares of olive groves, many of which are centuries old. Younger trees have been recently added to increase production.

“We can better manage the quality of our products thanks to an irrigation system and careful monitoring of the orchards,” Di Vincenzo said. “Very high temperatures and drought are ever more frequent, making the farming operations more challenging. Nevertheless, we are structured to cope with all the variables at play. We check on the olives daily, and we carry out an early harvest. The fruit is crushed in our state-of-the-art mill, which allows us to set every detail of the production process.”

The Sicilian farmer explained how sustainable farming practices have become not only necessary to preserve the environment, but also beneficial in improving soil health.

“We let the spontaneous herbs grow, and the no-tillage technique helps us keep the soil moisture high,” she said. “We mow the crop a couple of times a year, which acts as a natural fertilization.”

Farmers from the northern regions had to contend with various weather challenges, but thanks to careful production management, the results were still outstanding.

San Massimo, located in the south of Valpolicella, near Lake Garda, is where Azienda Agricola Ca’ Crespana produces Paneolio Amethyst and Paneolio Peridot, as well as Leccino and Grignano monovarietals, both of which have received a Gold Award.

“We are really happy about these awards,” said Johannes Pan, the co-owner of the family company. “They are an important confirmation of the work we do every day with passion.” 

“We always face the challenges of agriculture with enthusiasm, to constantly improve,” he added. “The bar is always raised higher, and this motivates us. These awards also serve as a significant showcase in the international market. Even if our main focus remains the regional market, we are happy to make our products known beyond the borders.”

The nearby lake creates a Mediterranean microclimate ideal for the olive trees, which enjoy the wide temperature range between day and night typical of these northern latitudes. Very calcareous and well-drained soils, shaped by glaciers millions of years ago, offer optimal conditions for olive farming.

“Last crop year was quite challenging – we had more rain than in recent years,” Pan said. “In agriculture, everything can change radically from one year to the next, and you always start from scratch.” 

“Thanks to targeted agronomic measures carried out by my brother and a very disciplined harvest, we still managed to obtain excellent quality,” he concluded. “This shows how important experience, flexibility and teamwork are.”

“The story began when I was at NYU [New York University] finishing my Bachelor’s degree in pure mathematics in Japanese in 2019,” said Arsen Khachaturyants, the founder of Arsenio.

At that time, Khachaturyants, whose family lives in Florence, the capital of Tuscany, saw an opportunity to begin producing wine.

“We started planting vineyards, which take about three to five years before the first harvest,” he said. “While waiting for the vineyards, I saw that we had all these beautiful old olives and decided to produce olive oil.”

Khachaturyants was already familiar with the product, having worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in France, and was eager to experiment with the local varieties.

He began harvesting the centuries-old trees that remained in good condition, taking the olives to a local mill equipped with state-of-the-art Mori-Tem equipment to transform them with minimal oxygen exposure. 

Khachaturyants also replaced some trees damaged by the 1985 frost, adding new Tusan olive varieties.

“We specialize only in Tuscan varieties: Frantoio, Leccino, Leccio del Corno and Moraiolo,” he said. “I especially like Leccio del Corno, which is not a very famous Tuscan variety, but I decided to plant it because I think it has a very nice balance as a monovarietal and in the blends.”

Khachaturyants harvests and mills each organically cultivated variety separately at its peak of ripeness, then meticulously tastes each batch to craft the Ora brand.

His goal is to balance bitterness and spiciness that is still widely appealing to the public, who may be accustomed to milder olive oils.

“We must be balanced,” Khachaturyants confirmed. “We must not overpower with spiciness. Although we still make it spicier than the average olive oil, balancing with the sweetness of Leccino.”

On social media, Khachaturyants posts videos to educate people that the bitterness and spiciness of extra virgin olive oil indicate it is rich in polyphenols, adding that the North American market, especially in California, is quite receptive to the message.

Khachaturyants’s mission to produce high-quality and flavorful extra virgin olive oil has been internationally recognized, with the Ora brand receiving consecutive Gold Awards in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

“Entering quality competitions is a nice way to understand that you are moving with the markets in the same direction and that others appreciate your taste profile,” he said. “These competitions also show your customers that you are legitimate as a producer.”

“With the blend, we see olive oil with the same philosophy as wine production,” Khachaturyants added. “We don’t try to make the same blend every year. Olive oil is a living product, so it should not be the same every year.”

For example, the 2024/25 crop year was marked by an extremely hot summer in Tuscany, which Khachaturyants said resulted in a smooth and less spicy blend.

Looking ahead to the 2025/26 crop year, he said the situation in the groves appears promising after a warm start to spring gave way to cooler weather, although excessive rain could alter that. 

“ Since we’re at the top of the hill, the microclimate is very particular, and the terroir is also distinct,” he said. ”The flowers are blooming, and the germination is just beginning.  Right now we have a lot of rain, maybe too much, but I’m sure we still have a lot of surprises to come.”

Khachaturyants is sanguine about the situation. He said the rain has not been very heavy so far, which has not interfered significantly with pollination. 

As part of his efforts to educate his customers about olive oil, he provides frequent social media updates from the olive grove. 

“ We try to give these updates to our consumers and followers, so they understand what’s happening,” he said. “We try to be fully transparent about what’s happening in our olive grove.”

Khachaturyants believes this openness with consumers helps them understand why extra virgin olive oil costs significantly more than other edible oils.

Through the videos and posts, they can see the labor-intensive nature of the manual harvest, which Khachaturyants cannot mechanize due to the steep terrain.

His production costs are further elevated by harvesting earlier, which frequently achieves a six to ten percent oil yield, and by his decision to maintain full-time employees to complete the harvest instead of hiring seasonal workers. 

While it increases his annual costs, Khachaturyants said he never has to worry about having enough people to harvest, a problem cited as a top concern by 34 percent of producers in the 2024 Olive Oil Times Harvest Survey.

“I don’t believe in hiring seasonal workers,” he confirmed. “You need to train them to identify trees ready to harvest and select healthy olives while discarding unhealthy ones.”

Instead, Khachaturyants said that climate change and its links to an increase in extreme weather events are the main challenges facing olive oil producers in Tuscany, citing extreme heat at unusual times of the year and heavy rainfall during others as examples.

Based on some of his university coursework, including a mathematics and climate change class, Khachaturyants believes a tipping point has been reached; current and future generations must adapt.

“If you stop all the production of oil and gas, stop deforestation and plant millions of hectares of forest, there’s not much chance of changing what’s happening,” he said. “For sure, we need to be ready for the impacts of climate change to escalate.”

Leaning once again on his background in mathematics, Khachaturyants said artificial intelligence could provide a solution for olive oil producers, augmenting the natural resilience of the olive tree.

For example, he said AI analysis of data collected from special sensors or image detection could quickly identify olive peacock spot disease on olive leaves and the telltale signs of olive fruit fly damage.

Khachaturyants has installed several meteorological stations in the olive groves and vineyards to analyze soil, wind, and rain patterns, as well as temperatures and humidity.  

“ AI can help us react faster,” Khachaturyants added, citing its potential to breed more heat and drought-resistant olive tree varieties.

“At some point, we can start thinking about clonal selection like the wine industry,” Khachaturyants said. “They try to use the same variety, but a clonal variation that might be better adapted to climate change.”

Each year, Khachaturyants produces between 8,000 and 10,000 bottles of Ora, which he mainly sells via e‑commerce. He is beginning to export to China, Japan and the United States and plans to expand to the United Kingdom in 2026.

“China is an interesting market, it’s a growing market, and you feel that they have this interest in olive oil,” he said. “It’s not as strong yet as the Japanese market. The Japanese love Italian food and culture, but China is growing quickly.”

“This year we are also going to enter the American market on Amazon,” despite the ten percent tariff imposed by the United States on nearly all imports, he said. 

Khachaturyants anticipates that the cost of paying the tariff will be somewhat offset by using Amazon’s transport network compared to his usual e‑commerce platform. However, he said raising prices is a possibility.

“We  don’t have large margins,” he said. “We try to give to our customers the best possible product with the most realistic price we can provide them.”

A Coroncina monovarietal extra virgin olive oil milled from 65 ancient olive trees spanning a single hectare earned a Gold Award in its World Competition debut.

“It was our first time,” said Giancarlo Biagioli, an expert taster and owner of Biagioli Farm. “While we already knew that our extra virgin olive oil was good, the Gold Award in New York confirmed that we are doing what it takes to bring Coroncina to the world stage.”

“It’s a very rare cultivar, one of the most unknown even in Italy, and yet it has a strength of its own,” he added. “Our oil convinced the judges also because of these features: a clear aroma, with notes of artichoke and fresh grass, and that uniqueness you can’t find elsewhere.”

After years of training and practice as a professional taster, Biagioli enrolled in the early 2000s in the national register of olive oil tasting experts maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture.

“I wanted to understand this cultivar truly. For years, it was harvested too late, at the expense of its aromatic intensity,” Biagioli said. “So I decided to anticipate the harvest to mid-October, right at the beginning of veraison, to respect its soul.” 

Nestled in the heart of the Marche region at almost 500 meters above sea level, Biagioli Farm’s new olive grove sits between Caldarola and Serrapetrona.

“Here, the Coroncina tree reigns supreme,” Biagioli said. “It grows on calcareous soil, full of gravel and stones, which makes any agricultural operation difficult. But it is precisely in that harsh terroir that the plant finds its fullest expression.”

The fascinating history of the Coroncina cultivar complements its award-winning flavors.

“I found a municipal ordinance from 1453 that required those who owned small plots of land to plant two-thirds with Coroncina olive trees and one-third with fig trees,” Biagioli recalled. “And they did that for a reason. They believed the figs would attract the olive fruit fly to protect the olives.”

“They show that even in ancient times, people here were already looking for quality olives,” Biagioli said.

Coroncina farmers count on the thick skin of the drupes, which makes it far more difficult for the olive fruit fly to colonize an orchard.

According to Biagioli, the balance between nature and tradition, modern technique and historical memory, defines the quality of his award-winning olive oil.

“I don’t use any chemical treatments. Not even those allowed in organic farming. I had the soil analyzed before starting to ensure no pesticide residues. It’s land that has never seen anything foreign to its natural cycle,” he explained.

The orchard itself required a long wait and a bit of luck. “It took me 15 years to find the right plot. Those who own these olive trees hold on to them tightly. It’s like waiting for a front-row spot at the beach resort. When the owner finally decided to sell, she told me: ‘I’m not giving away my father’s olive grove to just anyone.’”

This is why Biagioli hopes to expand the production area in the coming years, though he is not entirely optimistic about it.

“I’d love to acquire another olive grove, but you have to win the owners’ trust,” he said. “It’s not a matter of money. There’s an almost religious attachment to these trees. They’re not sold to just anyone. I was lucky.”

According to Biagioli, the origins of Coroncina date back many centuries.

“I found references connecting this area to the Basilica of San Clemente a Casauria, in Abruzzo,” Biagioli said. “Around the year 1000, Cistercian monks are believed to have brought some cultivars here to produce oil for sacraments and lighting.” 

“Coroncina may be a derivation of Toccolana, an Abruzzese variety with which it shares genetic and sensory traits,” he added. “It’s only a hypothesis, but a fascinating one.”

Once the grove became available, Biagioli decided to introduce a long series of improvements to enhance the rare cultivar’s natural qualities.

“I chose the mill: a new one, equipped with the latest-generation Mori-Tem system, working in the absence of oxygen,” he recalled.

The farm organized the harvest so that all the olives would be collected and transported to the mill within three to four hours.

“I filtered the oil after about 20 days, storing it in stainless steel tanks under nitrogen,” Biagioli said. “Then I bottled everything in small 250 milliliters bottles, ideal for the restaurant industry, so the oil always stays fresh.” 

The Coroncina monovarietal is now winning new supporters locally due to the growing interest of several chefs. Having been featured on the world stage, olive oil is also attracting international customers.

“I shipped a few bottles to Norway. I was impressed by the attention Northern Europeans give to olive oil’s quality and health aspects. There, it’s seen not just as an ingredient but as a health ally,” Biagioli noted.

Coroncina seems to lose its soul outside this tiny region, Biagioli believes.

“Taken from here and grown elsewhere, its oil becomes something else. Terroir is everything. Moving it means canceling what makes it unique,” he said.

According to Biagioli, producing olive oil means telling a story.

“There’s still so much to uncover in the quest for excellence. Extra virgin olive oil can bring out something deep, even primordial. I feel ancient echoes when I taste my oil,” he concluded.

During the eighth edition of the Ranieri Filo della Torre Prize award ceremony, the organizers recognized journalists, researchers, writers and poets for their work in exploring and promoting the culture of olive oil and the olive tree.

The award is named after a prominent figure in the olive sector, Ranieri Filo della Torre. He made significant contributions to the industry’s development and was known for his high-mindedness and passion for art and literature.

The ceremony took place in the auditorium of the farming organization CIA–Agricoltori Italiani headquarters in Rome.

“We intend to continue to celebrate olive oil, a symbol of peace, with its millennia-long history that inspired artists, painters, and poets who exalted its beauty, resilience, and sacredness,” said Loriana Abbruzzetti, president of Pandolea.

“Olive oil culture is a living heritage that is renewed generation after generation, and we all want to contribute to it,” she added.

Four special awards went to researchers and journalists, including Francesca Romana Barberini, an author and radio-TV host; Fabiola Pulieri, a journalist; and Laura De Gara, the deputy rector of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome.

A journalistic award was given to Ylenia Granitto, a senior writer for Olive Oil Times.

“This award comes exactly ten years after I began collaborating with Olive Oil Times,” Granitto said during the ceremony. “I consider the Ranieri Filo della Torre Prize a prestigious event not only for the professionals it brings together and the cultural heritage it has generated over time, but also for the values it strives to pursue and promote, inspired by the enlightened figure to whom it is dedicated: values of humanity and universal sisterhood and brotherhood.”

“My heartfelt thanks to Pandolea president Loriana Abbruzzetti for her remarkable dedication and to all the women of this excellent organization that creates relationships and builds bridges, connecting people and cultures, also through its global network Pandolea International,” she added.

Granitto received a certificate crafted from byproducts of the olive oil production chain, demonstrating Pandolea’s commitment to sustainability, and a painting by artist Giovanni Ragone.

In the awards section dedicated to scientific research, the organizers honored Federica Falbo of the University of Calabria for her thesis “Chemical modifications of polyphenols for the development of new molecules against high-risk diseases.” 

Ludovica Morrieri, a researcher at the Campus Bio-Medico University in Rome, was also recognized for her thesis “New approach for the determination of chemical parameters and evaluation of shelf-life of extra virgin olive oil through electrochemical sensor.” 

Addolorata De Santis from the University of Bari was awarded for her thesis “Valorization of health claims and correlation with the extra virgin olive oil shelf-life” and Kevin Cornali of the Campus Bio-Medico University in Rome was also recongized for his thesis “Role of functional foods, obtained from circular economy, and adapted physical activity in chronic kidney disease.”

More than 40 literary works were submitted to the organization.

Tiziana Monari, Milena De Magistris, Donatella Menolli and Vincenzo Mancino each received an award for their poetry.

In the narrative segment, Luca Prati, Andrea Polini and Alessia Conflitti were honored. In the haiku category, Fiorenzo Fedrigo, Francesca Pecorella and Dennys Cambarau were awarded.

The group of actors “Lettori giULIVI” read short stories, poems, and haikus during the event.

These works were included in the collection “Olive and olive oil, symbols of the Mediterranean,” published by Orbis Editori.

Agrarian institutes were also recognized for their work in olive oil production. The “Diploma d’Argento” awards for the best extra virgin olive oils produced in high schools went to the institutes G. Cavallini in Novara, Poppa-Rozzi in Teramo and Kennedy in Monselice.

The event was organized by Pandolea, in collaboration with CIA–Agricoltori Italiani, the National Academy of Olive and Olive Oil, with the support of AIFO (Italian Association of Olive Oil Millers) and the national competition Ramoscello d’Oro.

The Ranieri Filo della Torre Prize’s social media pages offer more information and the registration form for the next edition.

A defender of the poor and marginalized, an advocate for climate action, and a promoter of inter-religious dialogue, hailed by many as a reformer, his passing prompted mourning worldwide. 

On April 26th, numerous world leaders and tens of thousands of people attended his funeral at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, followed by the procession to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, where he was laid to rest.

Among the many records achieved – including being the first born in the Americas – he was the first pope to choose the name Francis, like the Saint from Assisi who embraced the ideals of poverty, humility and peace.

An excerpt from the last statement he delivered on April 20th, which was read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli before he imparted the Urbi et Orbi blessing for Easter, encompasses the founding values of his pontificate. 

“How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants,” Pope Francis wrote. “On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas. For all of us are children of God. I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible.”

Francis’s commitment to peace soon became very apparent. On June 9, 2014, the year after his election, he met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Abu Mazen to plant an olive tree in the gardens of Vatican City and invoke peace in the Holy Land.

The two political leaders were invited during the Pope’s apostolic journey to the Middle East the previous month, when he visited Amman in Jordan, Bethlehem in Palestine and Jerusalem in Israel.

Already on that occasion, after a meeting with priests and worshippers in the Church of All Nations, also known as the Basilica of the Agony, in Jerusalem, Francis planted an olive tree in the Garden of Gethsemane. The olive tree was a cutting taken from one of the eight 1,000-year-old trees in the garden to ensure the continuity of these majestic plants’ genetic heritage.

A few weeks later, the Invocation for Peace in the Holy Land event took place in the Vatican gardens at Francis’s initiative. He welcomed both Peres and President Mazen with a long hug. Then, in front of Pope Francis, the two presidents greeted each other with a hug.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople was also present at the meeting, which included readings of prayers from Jewish, Catholic, and Islamic traditions. The planting of a young olive tree was the culmination of the event, sending a powerful message of peace.

On June 8, 2024, the pontiff commemorated the historic meeting on its tenth anniversary with a ceremony. In front of that olive tree, which is now grown and thriving, he prayed for peace in Palestine and Israel.

Francis made the last of countless appeals for peace in the Middle East in the aforementioned Easter statement, where he also called for peace, reconciliation, and the restoration of justice across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

As he considered social justice deeply interconnected with climate justice, Francis was also the first Pope committed to climate action.

His second encyclical letter Laudato si’ (Praise Be to You), named after the Canticle of the Sun, also known as Canticle of the Creatures, composed by Saint Francis in 1224, is the first ever written by a Pope on the subject of the environment.

The pivotal document, subtitled “On care for our common home,” introduces the concept of “integral ecology,” emphasizing “how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and inner peace.”

Hence, Francis started the project Borgo Laudato Si’ in his residence at Castel Gandolfo near Rome on February 2, 2023, to promote the principles described in the encyclical.

The Borgo Laudato Si’ estate spans 55 hectares, comprising 35 hectares of gardens and 20 hectares of farmland, greenhouses and service buildings.

Olive trees are one of the seven main tree species chosen as symbols of the project, along with cedar, citron, boxwood, Cypress, holm oak and magnolia.

Based on the three tenets of integral ecology education — a circular and generative economy, and environmental sustainability — Borgo Laudato si’ hosts job training and educational courses, seminars, and cultural events. The estate is also open to visitors.

Its orchards include Pendolino, Frantoio, Rosciola and Vernina trees from which extra virgin olive oil is produced. 

Other olive varieties can be found on the estate, including Pigeon Egg, Taggiasca and a tree from the Gethsemane Garden that was donated to Pope Paul VI by King Hussein of Jordan.

In 2021, the daily newspaper of Vatican City, L’Osservatore Romano dedicated an article to the olive branch that, after celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in the St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis brought with him to Casa Santa Marta (the guest house that he chose as his quarters over the more luxurious Apostolic Palace, which is supposed to be the official papal residence).

In that olive branch, there are the expectations and fears of humanity, writes the daily, “but precisely those infinitely small olive leaves, symbols of true peace, in the hands of the successor of Peter are a sign of a hope that does not die. A sign of the resurrection.”

Father Mattia Ferrari, a chaplain aboard the migrant rescue vessel operated by the civil society platform Mediterranea Saving Humans, was very close to the late pope due to his commitment to migrants and refugees.

“Pope Francis taught us above all to love,” Ferrari told Olive Oil Times. “From love comes the courage to denounce injustices and the commitment to build a human, supportive and fraternal world. We must learn from him to love, and with this love we will be able to continue the path he forged to save each other.”

• Vatican News
• L’Osservatore Romano
• Vatican News

The brand, led by siblings Romain and Marie-Charlotte Piro, recently earned its sixth consecutive Gold Award at the 2025 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for its early-harvest blend of Leccino, Moraiolo, Frantoio and Olivastra Seggianese olives.

“Winning at the NYIOOC is validation,” Marie-Charlotte said. “It means that we are on the right path, and people get it.”

“ The award pays back all the hard work, so it’s a very satisfying feeling,” Romain added.

Founded in 2020, Olio Piro merges Romain’s two-decade passion for high-quality olive oil production with Marie-Charlotte’s background in luxury marketing. The result is an extra virgin olive oil that emphasizes quality and aesthetics, down to its minimalist label.

“ I ended up in Tuscany in 2002, discovered high-quality local olive oil in 2005, and bought my first olive grove in 2008,” Romain said.

He quickly became enamored with the product and immersed himself in the world of high-quality production.

“I was completely addicted to the technology, the techniques, the rules to respect and the elders teaching you what to do, what not to do and how to do it,” Piro said.

Part of what helps Olio Piro stand out is Romain’s careful attention in the mill, including adjusting aspects of milling, malaxing and centrifuging for every batch. “You have to change the setup to get the best out of each variety,” he said.

Over time, Romain started to see very good results from his milling and began selling his small-scale extra virgin olive oil, less than 1,000 bottles, door-to-door at restaurants, including Michelin-starred ones, in Paris.

When Romain started producing olive oil, he was already focused on harvesting green olives in October and November, sacrificing yield for more potent flavors and aromas, a practice that was not widely adopted at the time.

“It was the beginning, when people started to realize that extra virgin olive oil was more like an ingredient to use in the kitchen, in your cooking, and more than just something you leave on the table to put few drops at the end for maybe not such a good experience,” Romain said. 

“We were at the crossroads between a simple product and a very elaborate, very high-quality product,” he added, drawing parallels between increasing fine wine production and appreciation.

Heading into 2018, however, Romain wanted to increase his market penetration in the United States. He eventually convinced his sister, Marie-Charlotte, who previously worked in marketing in the U.S., to join.

“ I needed help with all the marketing and distribution,” Romain said. “ I know my skills, and they were not all the required ones. But  I knew my sister had those skills, so I was pushing her to join.”

He eventually succeeded with Marie-Charlotte joining in 2020 to develop a new brand, Olio Piro.

“I had a career in luxury sales and marketing,” Marie-Charlotte said. “ I worked with luxury products. I know the luxury marketing and sales techniques.”

As a result, the Piro siblings decided to position Olio Piro as a luxury product, starting with the label. 

“The olive oil has to smell and taste perfect. It has to respond perfectly to the lab analysis,” Romain said. “But the bottle also has to look good.”

One item notably absent from the label is the depiction of olives or an olive tree. “Extra virgin olive oil is written on the label, so we don’t need to show an olive tree, an olive leaf or an olive,” Romain said.

“The gold leaf label hasn’t changed,” Marie-Charlotte added. “We love the classic black text with large amounts of white space and embossed logo. It’s a luxury look.”

She clarified that when she refers to luxury, she does not mean high retail prices for the sake of being expensive.

“ We cater to an audience that we are creating year after year; people who didn’t realize that they are not only foodies, but they understand the true sense of luxury,” Marie-Charlotte said. 

“I’m not talking about money or having a high disposable income,” she added. “I’m talking about owning a product that makes you feel good, literally.”

While Romain sold almost all of his extra virgin olive oil in France before rebranding as Olio Piro, the company now sells almost exclusively in the U.S. 

However, the recently announced ten percent baseline tariff on all imports ot the U.S., combined with the potential for these to rise to 20 percent tariffs later in the year, has resulted in the company seeking out new markets.

 ”We exported 100 percent of our production to the U.S. before 2025,” Marie-Charlotte said. “This year, we exported 95 percent to the U.S. and are also selling in the United Kingdom and South Korea. We will also be selling in Germany and Canada next year.”

“ The U.S. is still by far our largest export now,” she added. “But we also decided this year to accelerate our global expansion,” due to the uncertainty around U.S. tariffs.

Due to the early harvest, Olio Piro has already exported all of its extra virgin olive oil produced in the 2024/25 crop year to the U.S., so its prices will not be affected this year. 

“Let’s see what next year brings,” Marie-Charlotte said. “For the next harvest, we’ll be ready to export to Canada, Germany and South Korea if we cannot bring the product into the U.S. in decent conditions. Small producers like us cannot be counted on to absorb all the tariff,  and we cannot count on small retailers like our wholesale partners to absorb it.”

The uncertainty created by U.S. tariffs comes after a successful albeit unusual harvest in the mountainous southern Tuscan region of Maremma.

“2024 was a very different year from the others because the harvest started quite late,” Marie-Charlotte said.

Romain added that the harvest did not start until October 20th. While he emphasized that every year is different, the early harvest usually gets underway between late September and early October.

“ This year we started quite late, the fruit ripened quite late, and we always harvest at the peak of maturity,” he said. “It was very dry until the end of September, and then it started to rain. You can’t harvest right after the rain. You need to wait for the fruit to dry.”

“ It was a little tricky…  because there was too much water inside the olive, which means you have to work a bit harder in the mill,” Romain added. “But the quality was still there, and it was very high.”

However, these conditions may also have resulted in oil yields being considerably lower than in previous years, a phenomenon experienced by producers across Italy.

“For the first two or three weeks, we got between eight and ten percent. This is crazy low,” Romain said. “Of course, after one month, the fruit is a little more ripe and the water has dried up, so we ended up with around 15 or 16 percent when sometimes we finish production at around 20 percent.”

However, Romain’s instincts were vindicated by the World Competition analysis team. Part of what helped the brand stand out was the inclusion of the endemic Olivastra Seggianese olive, the 300-year-old trees from which the olives are harvested, and the region’s unique cultivation method.

“It’s a very old Tuscan technique, grafting trees with other varieties that has been done for generations,” Marie-Charlotte said. “A lot of trees in the region are grafted with the three Tuscan olives; they have Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoio olives on one tree. In that way, our blend is made in the grove.”

Xylella monitoring operations conducted across the Puglia region allowed local researchers to identify an early infection, described as a “point-source outbreak.”

A point source outbreak is when an infected tree is the only one showing signs of infection among hundreds of trees tested in the area.

Local institutions confirmed that the bacterium found in Minervino Murge belongs to Xylella fastidiosa subspecies pauca, the same strain that has affected millions of Apulian trees for over a decade.

According to local authorities, the most probable cause of infection is the spittlebug, an insect considered the vector of the bacterium. Once infected with Xylella, the insect remains infective for the rest of its life.

The discovery has alarmed the local community, as the Bari province is at the heart of Italy’s most important olive-producing area.

It has been reported that the broad implementation of mandatory prevention protocols to contain the spittlebug population has considerably slowed down the bacterium.

Still, Xylella fastidiosa pauca continues heading north. Over the past decade, it has advanced approximately 250 kilometers, from the first sites where Xylella was identified to the latest infection in Minervino.

“The fear we had long expressed has unfortunately become a tragic reality. The deadly Xylella fastidiosa bacterium has reached the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. It was at the gates of Bari, and now it’s here with us,” Gaetano Riglietti, secretary-general of the agricultural workers’ union Flai-Cgil, wrote in a statement.

While the spittlebug is known to move only short distances on its own, it is often attracted to cars and trucks; clinging to them might allow it to carry Xylella over longer distances.

Current European Union and local regulations mandate that the infected tree be removed and that an infected zone be declared within a 50-meter radius.

Before the tree is removed, the entire 50-meter area is sprayed to eradicate any potential vector insects.

Within this zone, all plants susceptible to Xylella infection are sampled. Within a 400-meter radius, extensive sampling of olive trees and other potential hosts is also conducted.

Additionally, a buffer zone, an area where special containment protocols apply, now extends 2.5 kilometers from the point of infection.

“Minervino Murge must be included among the municipalities of the Bari, Taranto and Brindisi provinces where mandatory agricultural practices must be carried out, including plowing, tilling, harrowing or shredding to reduce the population of the spittlebug,” noted the farming association Coldiretti.

In its statement, Coldiretti emphasized that mechanical and phytosanitary prevention practices, visual and insect monitoring, plant sampling and the removal of infected olive trees, along with new tools for early detection of outbreaks, are the only ways to slow the spread of the infection, since there is still no cure for this bacterial disease.

According to another farming association, CIA Puglia, current prevention measures and anti-Xylella actions are not sufficient.

“We urgently need the government to appoint a special commissioner capable of driving a real breakthrough in the plan for containment and regeneration,” wrote Gennaro Sicolo, president of CIA Puglia and national vice president of CIA Agricoltori Italiani, in a statement sent to the press.

According to Sicolo, it is time for “extraordinary resources and powers.”

“In the interest of Apulian farmers, the Puglia region and the government must work together to secure the necessary attention and resources from the European Union to fund scientific research that will finally lead to a definitive solution to stop the bacterium,” Sicolo said.

He warned that, if left unchecked, the northward spread of the bacterium could threaten the entire Apulian olive oil industry, with consequences for employment, production and even social stability.

“As a trade union organization, we are deeply concerned about the potential consequences for employment, because even limited cases like this, though hopefully isolated, still create alarm,” Riglietti said.

“Beyond that, olive growing is not only our territorial vocation; it is also a defining feature of our landscape, history and the very culture of this part of Puglia,” he concluded.

The revelation comes from analyzing pollen released by local vegetation over millions of years. By examining pollen-rich sediment layers, researchers were able to identify olive pollen among many other types.

That also allowed them to determine the point in time when olive pollen became predominant, showing clear signs of olive farming.

The research investigated the contents of sediments in the Pantano Grande area, near Lake Ganzirri—a step away from the mythological turbulent streams of Charybdis and Scylla’s rocky caves in the Strait of Messina.

“It’s a very interesting area, as going through the strait allowed generations of seafarers coming from the West, the East and North Africa to access the Tyrrhenian Italian peninsula,” Jordan Palli, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of Tuscia’s ecological and biological sciences department, told Olive Oil Times.

Adding to that, researchers looked for evidence in that area since it is especially rich in biodiversity and also home to significant historical events.

“As it happens in all large water masses, all that is intercepted because of gravity precipitates and might become sediment,” Palli said. “Among these, there is pollen, which is a microscopic element produced in huge quantities by plants.” 

The sediment column slowly and progressively accumulates material, producing uninterrupted stratification.

“Even more interestingly, it maintains a chronological sequence, as the lower layers are the most ancient. It becomes a natural archive,” Palli said.

Those sediments are rich in materials of many diverse origins, such as leaves, wood, fruits, fungi, or single-cell algae.

In Pantano Grande, wild olives were present, mixed with a wide range of Mediterranean vegetation.

“They have been there for a long time, until the human presence began reshaping most of the coastal areas,” Palli said.

To correctly distinguish wild olive pollen from pollen from olive trees in a human-driven environment, researchers developed two indices.

The first one focused on olive trees growing with the typical Mediterranean seaside vegetation. The second one considered olives sharing forested areas with oaks, such as holm oaks.

The two indices allowed researchers to determine vegetation trends in both settings.

“When the olive pollen predominance emerged in both indices, that was evidence of a significantly broader presence of the plant when compared to all other plants that should have co-existed there,” Palli said.

“This allowed us to interpret such data as the signal of artificial propagation of the plant, as its ecology would not have allowed it to have such predominance,” he added. “That told us that local populations had taken action.”

Such analysis led the researchers to identify three historical periods in which olive farming took place in the area.

While the second (during the Roman Empire) and the third (modern times) are well known and documented, the first identified period came as a surprise.

It stretches from the Middle Bronze Age, in the 18th century BCE, to the 12th century BCE.

Most historians have long agreed that knowledge about olive tree farming originated from the Aegean area, probably brought by Greek colonists to southern Italy around the 8th century BCE.

“We do not know much about the Sicans,” Palli said. “Their settlements are below modern cities, such as Messina. Some investigations showed that there is much to explore down there, but that cannot happen because of what is above it.”

Three thousand years ago, olive growing was already taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The new research evidence shows that knowledge about the olive was probably carried to the Sicilian coasts by merchants coming from the Levant.

“There are archaeological remains of pottery and other objects originating from the Aegean area,” Palli said.

“Thanks to the archaeologists and other researchers who joined our research, we have been able to formulate a scenario of what has probably happened at that time in Pantano Grande,” he added.

In that scenario, trade brought new knowledge through cultural exchange.

“Wild olives were already present in that area, and the local population began appreciating the natural resource,” Palli noted.

In the Levant, where more advanced civilizations thrived, olive oil and the olive tree were already highly significant.

Coming to Sicily from the Levant, merchants and seafarers might have noticed the many olive trees. Sharing knowledge ensued.

“We could say that agronomic know-how developed there, but we should always bear in mind that we are talking of ancient times, so we should not compare that knowledge to modern agronomics in any way,” Palli said.

“Let’s keep in mind that at the time, tools didn’t exist yet, they weren’t widespread,” he added. “There was no plow, none of the equipment we think of today. The possibility of cultivating and breaking the soil in a specific way simply wasn’t there.” 

“When we talk about that very early phase of the Bronze Age, yes, we’re talking about cultivation, but not cultivation as we know it today,” Palli continued.

At that time, farmers could cultivate the olives in areas where they were already present.

“What they might have done was to look for areas where the tree was present or else favored the olive trees over the other plants in specific areas,” Palli said.

A crucial part of the research was the paleoclimate analysis, which allowed scientists to study climate variations over time.

“Times of expansion or regression of specific vegetation might depend on variations happening, for instance, on the relative humidity levels or the amounts of rainfall. Those variations might allow a species to better compete with the others,” Palli said.

By comparing the evidence of paleo-climatic variations as analyzed in previous research, there was no specific correlation with olive predominance.

“That showed us that the increasing volumes of olive pollen were not due to a specific climatic phase. That supported the hypothesis of the human intervention,” Palli said.

The ancient approach to olive farming in the Pantano Grande area lasted for five to six centuries.

“It collapsed in the 12th century BCE,” Palli said. “That does not mean that the knowledge collapsed as well, as populations could have moved to other areas.” 

What researchers know is that around the 12th century, several significant events happened.

“The first impact came from the Ausoni population descending to Sicily from what is today central Italy. Archaeological remains show significant movements of people at the time,” Palli said.

That might have induced the Sicans to leave the area. According to researchers, random pirate-like activity began to occur along the Sicilian coasts at the time, likely carried out by populations who, over time, came to be identified as Saracens.

“Such activities could have easily impacted sea trade and even pushed populations away from the coasts,” Palli said.

Additionally, it is believed that Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, located 100 kilometers from Messina, had an enormous eruption at that time. Traces of this eruption were later found in Albania, approximately 600 kilometers away.

“Ancient Roman authors described it as an unparalleled deep upheaval, a generational event. It is called the Sican Event, as it is believed that it might have pushed Sicans from eastern Sicily to the western part of the island,” Palli said.

Thanks to pollen analysis, researchers verified that after that period, the predominance of olive pollen ceased, with sediment layers showing a return to a more typical condition of mixed plant species.

According to Palli, three years of analysis and two more years to write the research were needed to bring together the work of archaeologists, climatologists, historians, ecologists and paleoecologists.

“Without such collective work, we would not have been able to combine history, pollen, archaeology, sediment analysis, and paleo-climate and produce such evidence,” Palli concluded.

It causes the deadly Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS), which has led to widespread outbreaks in Europe over the past 15 years, and is estimated to have an annual economic impact of more than €5.5 billion.

The origins of the bacterium in Europe and globally

Xylella fastidiosa is one of only two known species of Xylella; the other is Xylella taiwanensis, which causes pear leaf scorch in Asian pears on the island of Taiwan.

An aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium that grows in the water transport tissues of plants (xylem), X. fastidiosa is known to cause numerous plant diseases worldwide. 

The bacteria can travel freely through plants via the xylem, constantly multiplying as they do so. 

Once their numbers reach a critical level, the resulting biofilm blocks the xylem, leading to water stress and deficiencies in elements such as zinc and iron, which cause many of the symptoms associated with the diseases the pathogen is linked to.

The first reports of such a disease occurred in 1892 when an unknown plague wiped out approximately 14,000 hectares (34,600 acres) of California vineyards. 

This “Anaheim disease” was later named Pierce’s disease after Newton Pierce, the bacteriologist brought in to study the outbreak. 

Pierce correctly surmised that a microscopic infectious agent caused the disease, although he was unable to isolate or identify the specific agent.

Assumed to be a virus for most of the 20th century, it was not until 1973 that X. Fastidiosa was recognized as a bacterium. It was not until 1987 that the bacterium was formally described and named Xylella fastidiosa by Wells et al. 

Since then, 696 plant species from 88 botanical families have been identified as suitable hosts for the pathogen.

Among the diseases known to be caused by Xylella are several of significant agricultural and economic importance. These include the aforementioned Pierce’s disease, which currently causes the California wine-making industry estimated annual losses of $104 (€92) million, olive leaf scorch and OQDS.

OQDS causes withering and desiccation of olive leaves, twigs and branches, preventing the trees from bearing fruit and eventually leading to the collapse and death of the tree.

Worst-case predictive models show total economic losses of up to €5.6 billion in Italy alone by 2070, and an estimated 100,000 jobs have already been lost due to outbreaks in the country.

Due to its destructive effects and its ability to rapidly adapt to new environments and hosts, Xylella fastidiosa is regulated in the E.U. as a quarantine organism. Its introduction into, and movement within, the union territory is prohibited by law.

How Xylella spreads and where it is currently found

Native to Central America, Xylella fastidiosa is transmitted between host plants by xylem-feeding insects from the Cicadellidae (leafhopper) and Cercopidae (spittlebug and froghopper) families. 

Such insects are capable of only rudimentary flight over short distances (about 100 meters), but have been recorded traveling much longer distances when carried by the wind. Bacterial transfer has also been shown to occur below ground via root grafts.

Long-distance spread most often occurs through the movement of infected plants. This is believed to be how the pathogen was introduced to Italy and other European nations.

In October 2013, Xylella fastidiosa was found infecting olive trees in the region of Puglia in southern Italy. 

This was the first time the bacterium had been reported within the European Union. The disease caused a rapid decline in olive grove yields, and by April 2015, it was affecting the whole province of Lecce and other zones of Puglia.

The subspecies involved in Italy has been identified as X. fastidiosa subsp. pauca, a strain that shows a marked preference for olive trees and warm climates. This subspecies has since been listed under the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act in the United States because of its devastating potential.

In response to the Italian outbreaks, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) convened an extraordinary scientific workshop in November 2015. 

More than 100 scientists from around the world attended the event to identify major knowledge gaps and discuss research priorities regarding the pathogen. 

During the same month, the EFSA concluded from ongoing experiments in Puglia that grapevines were a possible reservoir of Xylella in the region.

By October 2015, the pathogen had reached Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur on the mainland of France, where the subspecies X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex was found to have infected myrtle-leaf milkwort, a plant species introduced from South Africa. 

The following year, the bacterium was identified in Corsica and Germany. In 2017, it was detected on the Spanish islands of Mallorca and Ibiza, and subsequently on the Spanish mainland.

Xylella has since been found in olive trees and other host plants across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as in Lebanon and Israel in the Middle East.

The role of climate change in Xylella’s spread

Substantial research indicates that climate change increases the risk of plant disease outbreaks, with changes in temperature and humidity being the primary drivers.

As global temperatures rise, the geographic range of many pathogens expands, exposing new regions and plant species to diseases previously restricted to warmer climates. 

Higher temperatures are generally conducive to the proliferation and propagation of fungal and bacterial species, especially when combined with elevated humidity. 

Additionally, higher minimum temperatures extend the seasonally active period of organisms and increase their ability to survive the winter and persist in the environment. This applies not only to pathogens but also to their vectors.

In addition to favoring many pathogens, higher temperatures can weaken a plant’s natural defensive mechanisms through processes such as heat and water stress, making them more vulnerable to infection and more likely to suffer greater damage and higher mortality rates.

Specifically regarding Xylella fastidiosa, a recent climate-driven epidemiological model analyzed the vulnerability of European lands to the disease in different climate change scenarios by assessing the climatic conditions favored by both the pathogen and its primary vector, Philaenus spumarius, also known as the meadow froghopper or meadow spittlebug. This insect has previously been identified as the vector responsible for spreading the bacterium in Italian olive groves.

The study found that a global mean temperature rise of 1.5 °C increases the percentage of total land area at risk in Europe to 0.32 percent, while a rise of 4 °C increases the area to 1.87 percent. 

Within the range of temperature increases analyzed, a tipping point of a 3 °C increase was identified. Beyond this threshold, the researchers found that the risk of the pathogen spreading north of the Mediterranean region becomes remarkably higher, allowing it to spread rapidly into previously unaffected areas.

The authors also assert that before the mid-1990s, European climatic conditions, except those of the Mediterranean islands, most likely prevented the bacterium from establishing itself on the continent.

Efforts to control Xylella fastidiosa

As there is no known cure for diseased plants, current control measures focus on prevention and containment. 

The most effective strategy in common use requires both the comprehensive removal of infected plant matter, which can act as a reservoir for the bacterium, and the control of insect vector populations.

In addition to the complete removal of plant matter known to be infected, the EFSA recommends creating a “buffer zone” of at least 100 meters from which all susceptible plant species are also removed and destroyed.

Due to the virulent nature of the pathogen, experts recommend using protective measures when removing and transporting all organic material during this process.

The process of controlling insect vectors is similarly involved, requiring not only the elimination of the organisms themselves but also their habitats. 

This is necessary due to the polyphagous nature and multi-stage lifecycles of such insects. Philaenus spumarius, for example, is known to feed on at least 170 host plants and develops through five separate stages after hatching.

Treatment and research for Xylella fastidiosa

Combinations of changes in cropping methods, bactericidal treatments, and interventions aimed at enhancing the physiological state of the host have shown promise in impacting disease development, even to the point of allowing harvesting to resume. To date, however, none have proven successful at eradicating the pathogen in an infected plant.

Research into treatment methods is severely curtailed by Xylella’s quarantine status, especially within the E.U. Other EU restrictions include the prohibition on using antibiotics for plant protection. Fields of research, therefore, vary from one geographical region to another.

In the United States, where antibiotic use is authorized for use in plants, information is available from trials of antibiotics such as oxytetracycline, tetracycline and streptomycin in the foliar treatment of Pierce’s disease and of microinjection of oxytetracycline in the treatment of Xylella-induced leaf scorch in American elm. 

Although such trials have demonstrated remission of symptoms, none have succeeded in eliminating infection, and symptoms returned after treatment was stopped.

A major initiative within Europe is the Biovexo Project, a Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI-JU) Innovation Action launched in 2020 under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.

Aimed specifically at combating Xylella in olive cultivation, BIOVEXO is developing two main classes of environmentally-friendly biopesticides: “X‑biopesticides,” which target the pathogen directly, and “V‑biopesticides,” which target the spittlebugs that act as the pathogen’s primary transmission vector. 

The component substances being trialed are bacterial strains, a microbial metabolite, plant extracts and an entomopathogenic fungus.

In a novel approach, recent research in Brazil involves N‑acetylcysteine, a common mucolytic drug used to treat paracetamol overdose and to loosen thick mucus in human cases of disorders such as pneumonia and bronchitis. 

While the mechanisms responsible are not yet fully understood, initial results have shown the effectiveness of the drug in disrupting bacterial biofilms when applied by irrigation to hydroponic or field crops.

Given the role that biofilms play in protecting bacteria against antimicrobial treatments and ultimately leading to bacterial resistance, this area of research may be on the rise, as breaking down the protective biofilm matrix could significantly increase the effectiveness of treatments targeting the Xylella bacterium directly.

Until a means is found to accurately and systematically kill the pathogen throughout its host, as this research suggests might one day be possible, quarantine and destruction of infected plants will likely remain the single most effective method of control.