SPATA, Greece. A surge in olive oil prices, driven partly by a two-year drought in Spain, has unleashed a wave of criminal activity across the Mediterranean. In olive-growing heartlands of Greece, Spain, and Italy, thieves exploit soaring prices through warehouse break-ins, oil dilution, and falsification of shipping data. However, the most alarming trend is the rise of gangs using chainsaws to plunder heavily laden branches and entire century-old trees from unguarded groves.
Konstantinos Markou, a grower outside Athens, recounts the loss of a 150-year-old tree among the 15 stolen on his neighbor’s land. The thefts not only mean fewer olives for struggling growers dealing with high production costs and climate change challenges but also create a significant dent in the historical olive groves.
Farmers, grappling with increased production costs and the impact of climate change, are now dealing with the additional challenge of olive theft. Italian growers are urging police to form an agriculture division, Greek farmers seek the return of a rural police division phased out in 2010, and a Spanish company develops olive-shaped tracking devices to catch thieves.
The thefts are not only financial but also cause long-term harm to the trees, forcing some growers to harvest early and accept lower yields. The situation has become dire, with farmers lamenting the need for night patrols to protect their fields.
Amid the disruption in the global olive oil market due to a two-year drought in Spain, benchmark prices in Spain, Greece, and Italy for extra virgin oil have more than tripled since 2019. Consumers are feeling the impact, with prices soaring in Greece from $8 to as much as $15 for a 1-liter bottle of extra virgin oil.
The crimes extend beyond olive theft, with thieves becoming increasingly brazen in Italy, snatching tractors and expensive equipment along with olives. The economic damage is described as “enormous,” and farmers are calling for increased protection against the escalating felony.
As olive growers navigate a turbulent market, they are left not only to contend with economic challenges but also to safeguard the very history represented by their ancient trees, now at risk due to this unforeseen criminal wave.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
