Spain's Olive Oil Sector Demands Stricter Regulations Amidst Fraud Concerns

Agricultural organizations Asaja, COAG, UPA, and Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain have called for stricter regulations in the olive oil sector to combat fraud. They demand that non-compliance with quality and labeling standards be punishable by criminal penalties, as is already the case in some competing countries.

The organizations propose strengthening inspections and controls over oil movements, supervising not only the marketing phase but also industrial processes and mass balance. They suggest using technologies to cross-reference information from various registers and obliging operators to register prices and contracts associated with each batch of transported oil.

In addition to fighting fraud, the groups request that the government recognize olive oil mills as a strategic crop and product due to their economic, social, and environmental importance. They also demand priority access to water resources for the olive grove, expansion of irrigated areas, exploration of new sources, and homogeneous allocations for all production models.

The organizations propose implementing article 167 bis of European regulations to regulate supply and reinforce market stability. They also request a specific line of ICO loans to support oil mills in covering financial costs related to market self-regulation.