Climate Change Hits Italy’s Olive Oil Sector: Puglia Faces Severe Production Shortfalls

Impact of climate change Italy’s Olive Oil Industry: Puglia has severe production shortages

Extreme heat and drought are threatening Italy’s olive oil sector, especially in Puglia. As water shortages and record-high temperatures kill olive trees, this region’s high-quality olive oil output is plummeting.

The November olive crop in Foggia, a major olive oil producer, is expected to be 50–80% lower than last year. Pietro Leone, a regional agricultural manager, is concerned about the drought and heatwave-caused crisis.

The Capaccio dam, which supplies Foggia’s industrial, agricultural, and household water, is running low. Water usually fills this dam to 17 million cubic meters. However, this year it holds barely 2.5 cubic meters. The region’s three remaining reservoirs are similarly critically low at 50% capacity. This scarcity of water affects olive tree irrigation.

Olive trees are robust and require less water than other crops, but Puglia is in crisis. These tough trees are fighting with over 50 days of temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. The extended heat and limited water availability endanger this year’s olive oil output and quality.

Agriculture is vulnerable to climate change, as shown by Puglia’s water issue. If these conditions remain, Italy’s standing as a top olive oil producer might be threatened, forcing worldwide prices to rise. This worries gourmets and olive oil lovers worldwide who love Italian olive oil for its particular flavor and quality.

Italian farmers and agricultural experts are demanding immediate water management measures to save this key business.

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