Suppliers Must Help Make Olive Growing a Strong and Influential Business

Ricardo Migueláñez. Coordinator of the Olive Oil World Congress

If anything the current situation of olive growing is making clear, it is that there is no longer any room for indifference. The chain works as a whole, and anyone who has not yet understood this—especially on the side of input suppliers—is making a serious strategic mistake.

In the olive sector there are no watertight compartments. There are no parallel businesses. Everything is connected. And when the farmer runs into difficulties, the impact does not take long to spread to the rest of the links. The question is not whether it will happen, but when and with what intensity.

Even so, there are still companies in fertilizers, crop protection products, machinery, irrigation, or technical services that act as if their activity were independent of the profitability of the olive grower. As if launching campaigns, strengthening digital presence, or improving brand positioning were enough. It is not enough. And it is becoming more evident by the day.

Today, producing olives—and doing so profitably—has become a real challenge. High costs, regulatory pressure, climate uncertainty, lack of labor, and price volatility. In this context, many farmers are not thinking about growing, but about holding on.

And when an olive grower reduces costs, cuts investment, or abandons acreage, the effect is immediate: less fertilization, fewer treatments, less machinery renewal, less innovation. In short, less consumption of inputs.

It is a direct relationship. It is not an opinion, it is an economic reality.

For this reason, it is surprising that there are still suppliers who are not aligning their strategy with this evidence. Reducing support, tightening conditions, or disengaging from the farmer’s situation may improve results in the short term, but it weakens the foundation of the business in the medium and long term.

In olive growing, more than ever, commercial intelligence lies in understanding that the customer is not just a buyer: they are the pillar on which everything stands.

Supporting the farmer is not an altruistic gesture, it is an investment, and this means getting involved in their profitability. Accompanying them in the field. Facilitating financing when necessary. Collaborating in improving productivity. Committing to training, knowledge transfer, and applied innovation. And also, something key, helping them add value to their product.

The supplier who understands this will not only sell more, but will also build strong relationships based on trust and continuity. And that, in a sector like olive growing, makes the difference.

Because there is something that must not be lost sight of: if olive growing weakens, everything else suffers, because without profitable farmers or competitive mills there is no sustainable production. And without production, there is no market for inputs.

The sector needs suppliers who add value, not those who simply sell. Who share risks, not pass them on. Who look beyond the immediate order and understand the value of the whole.

The future of olive growing and the olive oil sector—and of all those who live from it—will depend to a large extent on that vision, on the image of the product, and on the opportunities it will have in the future.

Events that promote the image of the sector are also tools that serve everyone, both producers and those who market the means of production. Let us build the sector together and we will all win.