Portugal has achieved the third largest olive oil production season in a decade, but consumption of the oil has dropped slightly in the country.
According to INE data, quoted by Casa do Azeite, production in the season 2015/2016 reached 109,052 tons, an increase of 79 per cent compared to the previous season. Alentejo is the top producing region (73% of the total), with 79,344 tons.
Portugal is among the top five exporters of olive oil, selling 129,600 tonnes overseas in 2015, although exported volumes were down by 4.4 per cent.
Spain was the main destination for olive oil exports (49% of the total), followed by Brazil (25%), Italy (13%) and Angola (3%).
In the domestic market, olive oil consumption (based on AC Nielsen data) in 2015 decreased 1.6 per cent in volume but increased 18 per cent in value.
The average price for the end consumer was €3.93/kg, or 20 per cent more than in 2014. However, consumption has remained stable in recent years, at around 70,000 tons, representing a per capita consumption of 7 kg.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
