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Rasheeda Bhagat

Bari, Italy, Nov. 4 A three-day international extra virgin olive oil fair kicked off in Bari on Monday, in a major bid by the Puglia region of Italy to push for a greater share for its extra virgin olive oil in the international markets. Titled “Extra”, the trade fair welcomed international buyers “with our 60 million olive trees spread over 360,000 hectares, equalling 24 per cent of the agricultural space used by 250,000 olive production firms”.

A joint endeavour by the Fiera de Levante, the Food and Agricultural Council and the Chamber of Commerce of Bari, speakers at the meet stressed upon “the high quality” of the extra virgin olive oil produced in the Puglia region.

What was striking was that quite a few speakers went into raptures over their “centuries old” olive trees and referred to them as “sculptures” and “monuments”!

Representatives of the chamber as well as the olive oil trade said it was time they made a pitch for recognition as “a valuable contributor or a valuable product for the national and agricultural economy”.

They strove to prove to international buyers and journalists that their product was the best and an integral part of “inimitable gastronomical culture, but Italian people often forget that our work has an economic and commercial implication that cannot be forgotten,” said Mr Cosimo Lacirignola, President of the Fiera del Levante.

Italy produces 600,000 tonnes of olive oil every year from 350 different varieties of olives.

The country has 230 million olive trees of which 60 million are in the Puglia region. Even though the International Olive Association, that has brought in a dozen of the 40 international journalists attending the event, is making a major pitch for promoting olive oil in the India, hardly anything was heard at the fair about the Indian market.

The markets of choice continue to be the US and Europe but with the association spending €880,000 in 2008 on the promotion of olive oil in India, awareness in olive oil producing countries about the potential of the Indian market should improve.

More Stories on : Oilseeds & Edible Oil | Rasheeda Bhagat

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