The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Begoña García Bernal, has pointed out that the great strategic challenge of the Spanish olive oil sector consists of increasing its capacity to generate greater added value and consolidating its leadership as a world benchmark in quality.
"Nobody is going to produce better than us and with this sustainability, because it is the best oil in the world and it must be valued and sold better. The next leap for Spanish oil is not to produce more, but to be worth more," assured García Bernal during the closing of the conference "Olive oil: the opportunity for the olive oil sector to lead quality worldwide," organized by El Economista.
In this context, the Secretary of State for Agriculture has insisted on the "clear commitment" of both the Government and the Ministry to olive oil. "It is the brand of our country and it is the liquid gold that we have to sell," she reiterated, underlining its role as a distinctive product of Spain abroad.
Likewise, she has highlighted the importance of communication and promotion strategies. "We must take advantage of unity, alliances, and promotion campaigns to tell the consumer what this product is like, but in a language that is understood," she indicated on how to add value to oil through campaigns aimed at the general public.
In this regard, García Bernal advocates for positioning extra virgin olive oil in the gourmet segment. "We are working with Michelin-starred chefs for this, because they are the ones who take this oil to the gourmet world outside of Spain," she indicated, alluding to the prescriptive role of haute cuisine.
Furthermore, she has focused on the economic and territorial relevance of the olive grove, which occupies 2.87 million hectares, around 17% of the country's agricultural area, and which places Spain as responsible for about 40% of the world's olive oil production. "Behind these figures there is territory, employment, and thousands of families who sustain a strategic activity for many towns in our country," she pointed out.
On the other hand, García Bernal has highlighted the contribution of innovation and digitalization to gain competitiveness and strengthen market confidence, recalling the actions of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to reinforce traceability and quality controls.
He has also highlighted that Agriculture is currently promoting more than 200 digital innovation projects in the agri-food sector, with a public investment exceeding 50 million euros, and has mentioned the recent approval of 82 operational innovation groups, four of them specifically focused on the olive oil sector.
"Innovation must serve to generate more value, more profitability and more opportunities for the entire chain. AI is already present in olive mills, but we must ensure that innovation reaches the entire sector, not only large companies but also SMEs, which are key to the sustainability of the rural world," he concluded.