The extent of Portugal’s resurgence in agriculture is evident when looking at the figures announced today by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Luís Medeiros Vieira.Exports of olive oil reached €496 million last year, creating a surplus of €150 million as production has quadrupled in the past decade.
Vieira was mingling with producers at the Valpaços Cooperative in Tras-os.Montes, where he said that the production of Portuguese olive oil increased a remarkable 80% in the 2017/18 season, compared to the one before.*
The Secretary of State noted what he considers to be an "exemplary development of olive growing" a sector that has tripled exports in a decade and has seen a sector deficit, turn into a healthy export surplus.
Prices also have increased in the past ten years, by 35% in the average price per kilo of exported olive oil.
Luís Vieira urged producers to diversify their export markets and to "explore new geographies and continue the investment and innovation."
The Government "has made a commitment to continue working hard to open new markets and take Portuguese olive oil to other destinations, since 80% of olive oil exports go to Spain and Brazil," said the bringer of good news.
__________
* It is assumed that this is 'export volume' although this was not made clear in the source material.
