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Europe's olive oil crisis could send prices soaring

There's an olive oil crisis seizing Italy and Spain, and the shortage could affect prices around the world. We hear why every golden drop of olive oil may be getting a little more precious....
CBC Radio ·
The Current24:19European olive oil crisis could send prices soaring - Dec 5, 2014
There's an olive oil crisis seizing Italy and Spain, and the shortage could affect prices around the world. We hear why every golden drop of olive oil may be getting a little more precious.

Last month, the major Italian newspaper La Republicca, splashed an especially dark headline across its pages, dubbing 2014 "L'Anno Nero Dell'Olio Italiano" -- or, The Black Year of Italian Olive Oil.

From Liguria to Siciliy, a dismal olive growing season has cut oil production by as much as 45 per cent. The culprits are erratic weather, as well as the dreaded "olive fly."

The crisis is spilling outside Italy's borders, affecting all of Europe's olive growing regions, including Spain. That could just cause your olive oil drizzle to fizzle, since Italy and Spain together account for 70 per cent of the world's olive oil exports.

  • Elena Lapini runs a vineyard and olive farm in Chianti, Tuscany.

  • Tom Mueller is the author of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil.

  • Allison Johnston is the owner of The Spice Trader and Olive Pit in Toronto.

What are your thoughts on the "olive oil crisis"?

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This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien and intern Celia Grimbly.

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