"Without profitability there will be no future for the olive grove"

How do you assess the current situation of the Catalan olive oil sector, and what do you consider to be its main strengths?

The Catalan olive oil sector faces a complex scenario, but one that is also full of opportunities. We have to tackle significant challenges such as the evolution of production costs, market volatility and, above all, the effects of climate change. Catalonia, however, has extraordinary strengths: a wide diversity of native varieties, an olive-growing heritage of enormous value, producers with a great deal of knowledge and experience, and a gastronomic culture that recognises olive oil as an essential product. We also have five designations of origin and oils capable of competing on quality and differentiation in the most demanding markets. The great challenge is to ensure that this quality also translates into greater profitability for those who produce the oil.

How would you describe the relationship between olive oil producers and the public administration? What are the sector's main demands?

The relationship must necessarily be one of collaboration. The sector needs an administration that is close at hand, that understands the reality of the countryside and that is able to support producers at such an important moment of transformation. The main demands include making generational renewal easier, supporting the modernisation of farms and mills, improving water management and helping the sector adapt to climate change. It is also important to reduce the administrative burden and to develop promotional policies that showcase Catalan olive oil both at home and beyond our borders. And there is one fundamental issue: we must guarantee that producing quality oil is an economically viable activity. Without profitability there will be no future for the olive grove.

What is needed for consumers to better appreciate a quality extra virgin olive oil and understand how it differs from other categories?

I believe we need to build a stronger culture around olive oil. Consumers need to know that not all oils are the same, and that behind a good extra virgin there is a variety, a territory, a harvest moment, a production process and a producer's work. We need to explain the differences between the various categories in a simple way, but also teach people to appreciate the sensory attributes of a good oil. Tastings, culinary education and clearer information in restaurants and at points of sale can help a great deal. Ultimately, when consumers understand what they are buying, they stop seeing oil merely as a raw material and begin to value it as a quality food, just as happens with other gastronomic products.

Generational renewal is one of the great challenges facing farming. What role are young farmers playing in the future of the Catalan olive oil sector?

Young people are absolutely fundamental. And I think we should stop talking about them solely as the successors to today's farmers. They are also the driving force behind a new way of understanding the sector. They are bringing in technology, precision agriculture, new marketing and communication tools, direct sales and a greater concern for sustainability. Many young people also have a stronger focus on differentiating the product and telling its story to the consumer. That is why it is essential to make it easier for them to enter farming: access to land, financing, training, technical support and conditions that allow them to develop a viable business project. If we can get a young person to see the olive grove as a professional opportunity and not merely as a traditional activity, we will be building the future of the sector.

How is climate change affecting olive oil production in Catalonia, and what strategies are producers adopting to adapt?

Climate change is no longer a question for the future; it is a reality we are living with in the field. Water shortages, extreme temperatures and shifts in flowering and ripening cycles are increasing uncertainty around harvests. Faced with this situation, the sector is working on a range of strategies. Optimising water use is essential wherever irrigation is available, but so too are better soil management, cover crops, precision agriculture and the adaptation of agronomic practices. We must also make progress in research and knowledge to determine which varieties and which growing systems can offer greater capacity to adapt. The aim is not simply to produce more, but to ensure that the olive grove remains viable and sustainable under the climatic conditions we will face in the coming years.

What makes Catalan olive oil unique, and what opportunities are there to strengthen its position in domestic and international markets?

One of our great strengths is precisely our diversity. Catalonia has native varieties with very different sensory profiles, as well as olive-growing territories and landscapes with a character all of their own. The PDOs, Catalan gastronomy, olive oil tourism and specialised exports all offer considerable opportunities.

From your experience, what role do initiatives such as the Olive Oil World Congress play in driving innovation, sustainability and the sector's international projection?

Initiatives such as the Olive Oil World Congress are fundamental, as they are spaces that connect producers, researchers, companies, institutions and international markets. Their value lies above all in sharing knowledge, identifying trends, fostering innovation and giving the olive oil sector international visibility.

Finally, what message would you like to convey both to consumers and to the new generations of producers about the future of olive oil?

To consumers, I would ask them to value the origin, the quality and the scientifically proven health properties of extra virgin olive oil, which is a basic component of the Mediterranean diet. To young people, I would say that the olive grove can be a modern, technological and innovative sector, as well as one deeply rooted in its territory. The sector has a future: we need to make producing quality oil economically viable and socially attractive. I believe many measures have been implemented to this end, in line with Catalonia's Extra Virgin Olive Oil Action Plan, which was agreed with the sector. We must continue working together, sector and administration, to speed up the achievement of these objectives.