The Agricultural Olive Oil Cooperative of Metamorphosis of Laconia has made a new sale at the highest recorded market price.
Laconia
Specifically, another sale of extra virgin olive oil of excellent acidity (0.18%) was achieved by the Agricultural Olive Oil Cooperative of Metamorphosis Laconia, at a price of 3.10 euros per kilo, a product without any trace of pesticide residues with the contractor company ELFA IKE of Mr. Kouskouri, as we were told by the Cooperative, which in the previous period had sold a quantity of 3 euros per kilo. As stated in AgroTypo Mr. Yannis Langis, from the Cooperative Metamorphosis Laconia, there is still availability in olive oil this year's harvest around 500 tons, demand also exists, while from abroad the good oils are paid around 3 euros per kilo. It should be noted that the Cooperative's production this year amounts to approximately 940 tonnes. The price of EUR 3.10 per kilo is net to the producer.
Messenia
According to AgroTypou, the Agricultural Cooperative of Trifylia has sold a quantity of 63 tons of olive oil. The quantity in question was purchased by a company from the Aigio area, at a price of 2.72 euros per kilo. At the same time, in the same prefecture, as told us by George Kokkinos, from the group of producers Nileas, there is an upward trend since the beginning of the season, so now are made transactions and at 2.70 - 2.80 euros per kilo, while at the beginning the price did not exceed 2.50 euros per kilo. It seems, according to what Mr Kokkinos told us, that expectations for somewhat better prices than last year are being fulfilled, as a result of the unpredictable weather conditions in general.
There is cautious optimism for this year's olive oil season in the north of Messinia, where there is little production this year due to, among other things, the lack of farm workers and restrictions on travel due to coronavirus, restrictions that prevented many people from picking olives as in previous years. As explained to us by Mr. Pavlos Kaplanis of Ben Olive Mill - Benakopoulos Olive Mill, based in northern Messinia, there is very good quality olive oil this year, partly due to the fact that because there was not much availability of farm workers, producers picked a small amount of fruit each day. As a result, the mill in question was producing olive oil within a few hours. Mr Kaplanis also said that prices started at EUR 2.40 per kilo and have now risen to levels above EUR 2.50 per kilo. In the retail sector in Greece, the situation is good and there is cautious optimism, while according to him, his company has distributed to Italy the product that in other years was directed to the catering sector in Greece. It should be noted that the Benakopoulos mill can be visited, is open all year round and receives tourists from all over the world. What is surprising, according to Mr Kaplanis, is the fact that many wealthy tourists have entered the country in motorhomes and are eagerly waiting for the restrictions to be lifted.
Crete
According to the producer from Heraklion, Michalis Kabitakis, the market is moving at a smooth pace, there is demand, but producers and mills appear restrained and do not easily sell their product. Producer prices in general on the island are now playing around 2.60 to 2.70 euros per kilo, having, as Mr. Kabitakis told us, got a 20 cent above the beginning of the season. According to him, this year, there is quality product and stocks.
Aitoloakarnania
Mrs. Vasiliki Maravelis is the owner of an olive press in Nea Avorani, Panitoli, Agrinio and an olive grower. Her mill does not buy olive oil from the producers, but Mrs. Maravelis has proceeded herself to standardize olive oil under the brand Alsea, exporting it to the EU and mainly to Europe. According to her, the quality of the olive oil produced this year was more than excellent in the area around Lake Trichonida, with low acidity (up to 0.4%), which is due to the complete absence of dengue, but not because of the dengue program, as she explained, but rather for other... reasons. Producer prices have not, of course, exceeded 2,50 euro per kilo, as she told us. Finally, with regard to exports, Mrs Maravelis told us that the coronavirus has already had a negative effect.
