Italy Announces €40 Million Support Package for Olive Oil Mills

Funding aimed at operating mills

Italy has announced a €40 million support package for olive oil mills, putting the sector’s financing, inventory controls and product traceability under renewed scrutiny. Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Minister Francesco Lollobrigida presented the intervention during a meeting with representatives of Coldiretti from Italy’s main olive-growing regions.

According to La Discussione, Coldiretti wants the resources channelled through Ismea agricultural bills, a financing instrument intended to support agricultural businesses. The organisation says public aid should reach operators that process authentic Italian oil, comply with regulations, purchase and pay for Italian olives, and recognise a fair value for growers’ work.

The meeting included Coldiretti national vice-president and Unaprol president David Granieri, Coldiretti secretary-general Vincenzo Gesmundo, and regional presidents and directors. Coldiretti welcomed the package but argued that eligibility should depend on verifiable conduct rather than simply on a company’s position in the processing chain.

Checks proposed across the supply chain

Coldiretti called for an extraordinary inspection campaign covering storage sites, mills—including cooperative and industrial facilities—processing companies and large retailers. The organisation says large-scale distribution absorbs about 80% of the product, making retail controls and clear shelf information central to the plan.

Its proposal would make access to financing conditional on checks of the origin, quality and traceability of oil held in warehouses. Coldiretti also wants a detailed assessment of stored volumes to establish how much oil is actually available and provide greater clarity on market dynamics.

The group argues that public money should not support businesses involved in speculation, trade triangulation or opaque commercial practices. It is also seeking clearer origin information for consumers and greater visibility for extra virgin olive oil made entirely in Italy. These demands represent Coldiretti’s position on how the announced funds should be allocated; the source does not provide final eligibility rules or a disbursement timetable.

Production gap increases dependence on trade

Coldiretti estimates that Italy produces about 234 million litres of extra virgin olive oil. It says the figure could prove even lower if stricter controls were applied. Domestic consumption reaches 461 million litres, while annual exports total 318 million litres and imports stand at 545 million litres.

Those figures describe a market in which Italy combines substantial domestic demand and exports with even larger inbound volumes. For growers and processors, the commercial issue is not the presence of imported oil itself, but whether origin is presented accurately and whether foreign product benefits improperly from an Italian identity. Coldiretti says stronger enforcement is required to protect consumer transparency and the remuneration of olive growers.

New technology and additional sector funding

Beyond the €40 million mill package, Coldiretti continues to seek implementation of measures contained in ColtivaItalia, which assigns €300 million to Italian olive growing. Proposed measures include new control systems based on magnetic resonance, genomic mapping and isotope mapping, supported by a dedicated database. Their stated purpose is to improve verification of the origin, quality and traceability of Italian oil. For mills, growers, processors and retailers, the impact of the package will therefore depend on whether financing and enforcement are implemented together, and on the standards used to verify inventories and commercial claims.