Oil: Italian supply-chain stocks hit record levels. Producer prices fall  

Italian olive oil campaign 2026/27 is hanging in the balance. Just a few weeks before harvesting begins, farmers and processors are caught between record stock levels and falling producer prices.

But in recent months, consumer prices for oil from the Italian supply chain have remained substantially stable in large-scale retail, while those from EU countries have fallen.
“The new olive-growing season in Campania is opening in a highly critical situation,” observes Antonio Casazza, a member of Confagricoltura Campania. “Businesses must decide whether to harvest and bear the processing costs without liquidity, market prospects or prices capable of covering costs: part of the production risks remaining on the trees.”

Confagricoltura Campania is therefore calling on the Region to follow the initiatives of Puglia and Calabria, which have already formally requested recognition of a state of crisis in the sector.

Promotion in large-scale retail

For Tommaso Loiodice, president of the Unapol producers’ association, “sales must be relaunched through a strong promotional campaign in large-scale retail and the ministries must be involved because oil is the basis of the Mediterranean diet.”

For its part, Coldiretti has asked the Ministry of Agriculture for a tender for extra virgin olive oil 100% Italian to be allocated to people in need. These funds could be useful for an initial intervention on stocks, but only provided that there are extremely rigorous checks against fraud. “For this reason, we propose carrying out analyses using innovative tools such as magnetic resonance, genetic mapping and isotope analysis, integrating databases and strengthening the network of laboratories.”

A line in the sand

According to the olive-growing supply chain, the sustainable price for Italian extra virgin olive oil is 7,50 euros per litre. In large-scale retail, consumer prices for domestic oil have so far shown no signs of weakening: on average, they fluctuate around 10-12 euros per litre, with few exceptions. Meanwhile, those from EU countries are at 7-8 euros.
According to Circana, in the year ending in March 2026, sales of oil (olive oil plus seed oil) in large-scale retail recorded +1,3% in volume, totalling 388,4 million litres of product. Turnover was 1,72 billion, -14,5% following the fall in prices after the record wholesale price of (10 euros) in 2024.

Stocks at their highest

According to data from Frantoio Italia of the Ministry of Agriculture, as of last 31 July, there were 233.377 tonnes of extra virgin olive oil in storage, +43,9% up on the previous year. However, the problem concerns only extra virgin olive oil produced nationally: the mills’ tanks contain 108.299 tonnes,, + 139% compared with 12 months earlier.

By contrast, oil from EU countries fell by 3,9% while non-EU oil more than doubled to approximately 10 thousand tonnes. Stocks of blended oils: +82% also rose sharply, by 11.650 tonnes.

Oil without trading

The weakness of the market is also reflected in the lack of trading on the Bari Commodity Exchange. The latest wholesale prices for Italian extra virgin olive oil date back to 16 June last year: 5,90/6,40 euros per kg, compared with record prices of 9,30/9,50 euros a year earlier.
Trading will officially resume on 25 August.

Other articles:

Italian olive oil between production shortages and a trade deficit

Podcast: Assitol, trends and challenges for olive oil in large-scale retail

This content was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.