Beja, Portugal, Sept. 25, 2026 (Lusa) - Increased productivity in new olive groves, greater water availability and «good blossoming» point to a 10% increase in olive oil production in Portugal compared with the previous season, according to the Olivum association.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency on Thursday, Gonçalo Moreira, project manager at Olivum – the Association of Olive Growers and Oil Mills of Portugal – revealed that the 2026/2027 season represents a «bumper year», meaning «higher production» of olives.
He pointed out that this is due to the emergence of new plantations and «the conversion of some older olive groves into more modern ones with greater capacity», as well as changes to «some varieties that [last year] had been in a low-yield year».
«It was also a year in which spring brought us a magnificent blossom, which is always an indication that we are going to have higher production, and we had no pests or diseases, which, as things stand, allows the crop to remain on the trees,» he added.
At the same time, the months with «some rain» and the «soil's water-holding capacity» are other factors helping Olivum to forecast a 10% increase in olive oil production this season.
«As for the heat, it is always counterproductive, in the sense that, when there is more of it, we always have greater evapotranspiration [and] greater water loss by the plants,» he noted.
Even so, «what helped us was that, as it had rained very much, the soil, particularly in the Beja area, managed to retain a great deal of moisture despite the sun,» he emphasised.
He indicated that the «very high temperatures» had led to the «olives ripening» earlier than usual and brought forward the harvest period, meaning that some estates are already «harvesting», a month ahead of schedule.
«We have some regions and some areas where the harvest is almost a month ahead of schedule, and there are places where they are already harvesting and producing olive oil,» revealed Gonçalo Moreira.
Furthermore, he explained, market demand for «increasingly younger» and «fresher» olive oils has also meant that harvesting before the traditionally expected season «is seen as a natural process».
«Instead of carrying out the olive harvest in November or December, we now start in October», or even, «depending on the year, sometimes a little earlier», he explained.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Olivum revealed that, if forecasts are confirmed, the 2026/2027 season is expected to bring «the country closer to the benchmark figures recorded in the 2024/2025 season», that is, around 177,000 tonnes.
«Following a previous season which totalled 160,000 tonnes of olive oil nationwide, forecasts for this year point to a recovery in the sector,» stated the association.
Moreira, quoted in the press release, considered it «still too early to draw conclusions about the season», but acknowledged that the focus is on maintaining «the sector's commitment to the excellence of Portuguese olive oil, reinforcing Portugal's position amongst the world's leading producers».
The association also warned that, despite the «positive outlook» for this year, it is keeping a close eye «on changes in production costs, particularly those associated with fuel».
«In mainland Portugal, the average price of agricultural diesel has risen by around 60% and road diesel has increased by 40%, compared with the same period last season,» it noted.
This rise in prices, according to Olivum, is «an additional challenge facing the sector in managing the current season».
Based in Beja and established in 2013, this association of olive growers and mills aims to address new issues in olive cultivation, including the need to defend and represent the sector, which was virtually non-existent at the time.
The organisation represents over 53,000 hectares of olive groves, 21 mills and around 70% of national olive oil production.
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