Initial production estimates for the 2024/25 marketing year from ISMEA indicate a drop in olive oil production in Italy of -32 percent (224 thousand tons) compared to last year due to weather conditions, but quality is generally expected to be very good [1]. The olive sector remains important to the national economic fabric—with as many as 619 thousand olive oil enterprises, more than 4,300 active mills,exports that exceeded in the 1st semester €1.6 billion (+63%) and more than one million hectares in oil olive production[2]—but faces in the coming months challenges related to international competitiveness, high production costs, rising prices, digitization, and sustainability. Challenges that can only be overcome by “networking” and sharing the experiences of all actors in the olive-oil supply chain.
It is precisely with this goal in mind that EVOLIO Expo, Nuova Fiera del Levante’s new international B2B exhibition dedicated to EVO oil andorganized by Senaf, was born. The event, presented today during the Fiera del Levante in Bari, will be held Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2025 , and aims to create culture about the sector, enhance the many regional excellences of Italy and the world, and create a bridge between EVO oil producers and specialized buyers (GDO, Horeca, international buyers, professional users, etc.). This is an opportunity not only for professional stakeholders from countries in the Mediterranean area, but also for Northern European buyers, who have historically been consumers but have no direct oil production and will be able to find the best suppliers here.
Thus, an event that can count on Italy’s expertise at the global level and on the primacy of consumption (456 thousand t), with an average of 8.2 liters per capita per year. Italy also stands out in terms of variety of olives for oil, with more than 500 genotypes, and in terms of the number of extra virgin olive oils with designations in Europe, with 42 PDOs and 8 PGIs [3].
EVOLIO Expo will not only be an exhibition event: numerous conferences, training courses, and demonstration areas involving associations, institutions, exhibitors and visitors will be held during the event. Moments of high educational and informational value to provide an overall view of the olive-oil sector and give participants the opportunity to become protagonists of this cultural change.
The press conference was attended by Rosella Anna Giorgio, Head of Coordination Section of Territorial Services Puglia Region; Luca Scandale, General Manager of Pugliapromozione; Cesareo Troia, National Vice President Oil Cities and Regional Coordinator Oil Cities Puglia; Giuseppe De Noia, BoD Italia Olivicola; Riccardo Cassetta, Past President ASSITOL with responsibility for internationalization and Vice President of Federalimentare; and Gaetano Frulli, President Nuova Fiera del Levante and Ivo Nardella, President Senaf – Gruppo Tecniche Nuove. The presentation of EVOLIO Expo was attended by representatives of the agricultural partnership, Trade Associations and Producer Organizations.
“EVOLIO Expo was born in Bari, Puglia, not by accident. Giving life to this event means making a statement on the national and international scene—said Donato Pentassuglia, Councillor for Agriculture of the Puglia Region on the sidelines of the press conference—This statement is the Puglia region, which has the olive tree in its coat of arms not by chance. Our extra virgin olive oil has nutraceutical properties now recognized by multiple studies and research. And from this goodness that is good for us we want to start again, despite the decline in 2024 after the exploit in the yield of the 2023 olive crop year. To the difficulties imposed on us by the Xylella fastidiosa epidemic, Puglia responds by reaffirming its role as a leading production region, always ready to defend itself even against the great enemy of extra virgin olive oil. I am referring to the issue of counterfeiting and the placing on the markets of oils that have nothing Apulian about them. At EVOLIO Expo we will have the opportunity to discuss these issues as well, in absolute transparency, with due respect for producers and consumers.”
“EVOLIO Expo was born in Bari, Puglia, not by accident. Giving life to this event means making a statement on the national and international scene—said Donato Pentassuglia, Councillor for Agriculture of the Puglia Region on the sidelines of the press conference—This statement is the Puglia region, which has the olive tree in its coat of arms not by chance. Our extra virgin olive oil has nutraceutical properties now recognized by multiple studies and research. And from this goodness that is good for us we want to start again, despite the decline in 2024 after the exploit in the yield of the 2023 olive crop year. To the difficulties imposed on us by the Xylella fastidiosa epidemic, Puglia responds by reaffirming its role as a leading production region, always ready to defend itself even against the great enemy of extra virgin olive oil. I am referring to the issue of counterfeiting and the placing on the markets of oils that have nothing Apulian about them. At EVOLIO Expo we will have the opportunity to discuss these issues as well, in absolute transparency, with due respect for producers and consumers.”
“The growth of oleotourism in Puglia is an opportunity to give value to two Tourism Products we are working on—says Luca Scandale, Director General of Pugliapromozione—The Food and Wine Product is in the foreground, with guided tastings and shopping in olive mills, which are then usually followed by online purchases upon returning from vacation. The nature, wellness, and leisure Tourism product intersects with oil tourism, given the dense network of Puglia’s oil mills. Each farm, which is equipped to welcome tourists, becomes a reference point to be reached, perhaps by bicycle or on foot, for tastings that open up the area to knowledge, history, and taste, immersed in the Mediterranean diet.”
“EVOLIO Expo will be a great opportunity to showcase the quality EVO oil of our 500 Oil Cities and to make oil culture, to raise awareness of the millenary civilization of the olive tree by telling about the landscape, the food, the places, the traditions, and the trades related to oil that make our oil communities a destination for so many enthusiasts and tourists—says Cesareo Troia, National Vice President Oil Cities and Regional Coordinator Oil Cities Puglia—It will also be an opportunity to talk about the many oil tourism experiences related to oil, the social olive growing projects we are supporting and our commitment against the abandonment of traditional and historical olive growing. And precisely to turn the spotlight on this rampant phenomenon that affects the entire country, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its founding, our association has championed a national bill that we hope will stimulate government intervention on such an important issue.”
“We believe in this EVO oil event in Bari because it represents an important moment to promote our territory, quality, and our model, considering the weight of Puglia on the whole national olive oil production—declares Giuseppe De Noia, CdA Italia Olivicola—That is why we strongly support it, as CIA – Agricoltori Italiani, as Italia Olivicola, with all our OPs (Olive Producers Organizations), among which I would like to mention—one among all—the OTB Oliveti Terra di Bari, putting forth serious and concrete proposals. In fact, it is a question of economic opportunity and development of a territory, the Apulian one, that together with all its olive farms and protagonists is able to tell and enhance a millenary history made of scents, colors, and flavors. We are confident that with EVOLIO Expo we will play a central role among olive producers in the Mediterranean basin and globally.”
For Riccardo Cassetta, ASSITOL past President with responsibility for internationalization and Vice President of Federalimentare, the event is the best opportunity to highlight the weight of the supply chain, especially in view of a complex oil campaign. “Puglia is the region that produces MORE than half of the olive oil Made in Italy,” he recalls, “for us insiders, EVOLIO Expo represents recognition of the sector’s commitment, to be celebrated in one of its symbolic places. The hope, on behalf of ASSITOL and Federalimentare, is that in this forum the conditions will finally be built to properly enhance the value of 100% Italian oil, listening to the demands of companies and associations in the sector. We need to bring certain priorities to the attention of the political-institutional debate, such as responding to climate change, which threatens to negatively affect our production, and strengthening exports, which have contributed significantly to our economy in recent years.”
“EVOLIO Expo was born of the idea of the Councillor for Agriculture, Agri-food Industry, Agri-food Resources, Land Reform, Hunting and Fishing, Forestry, Donato Pentassuglia and myself—declares Gaetano Frulli, President of Nuova Fiera del Levante—We both know how important the 100% Italian evo oil product is for our territory: our region represents 50% of Italian production. Our goal is to make this event the most important world showcase where Italian oil is talked about. It is an ambitious project, but we are all aware of the value that Italian evo oil has and must have in the domestic market.”
“We are proud to be the organizers of the first edition of EVOLIO Expo, a fair with an international scope whose purpose is to spread the culture of extra virgin olive oil and to create a real opportunity for entrepreneurs in the olive-oil supply chain—says Ivo Nardella, president of Tecniche Nuove Group and Senaf—Our Group follows the agriculture sector very closely, and in particular with the title Olivo e Olio it has been covering the entire supply chain for a good 27 years. EVOLIO Expo confirms the key role of our country as a protagonist not only in terms of production, but also in terms of innovation and protection of the olive heritage, contributing concretely to the growth of the sector.”
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