113 Public policies in Portugal to support olive groves JOÃO MARQUES Office of Planning, Policy and General Administration (GPP) Introduction Under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the olive sector, like any other sector, is eligible for various types of support, particularly in terms of support for productive investment, risk management, the organisation of production, and the generation and sharing of knowledge. However, this support naturally tends to be dominated by modern, irrigated olive groves, which are highly innovative and efficient. Amidst the enthusiasm resulting from the significant growth of this crop and its marked modernisation – with the rapid expansion of vase and hedgerow olive groves – there was a risk that the other type of olive grove, the traditional one, would be overlooked, thereby accelerating the trend towards its disappearance. However, the coexistence and interdependence of the various production systems, alongside the preservation of the traditional system, are essential. Recognition of this fact has led to an emphasis on support for traditional olive groves within the context of public policy, notably through the establishment of a specific agri-environmental scheme. This support has been vital for this production system, which faces greater challenges in terms of economic viability but plays an environmental, social, territorial and cultural role of the utmost importance. Trends inolive gr oveareas The available data indicate that, from 1995 to 2018, the area under olive groves remained stable and that, since then, there has been some growth. During this period, there was continuous growth in irrigated olive groves, which means there was an expected decline in traditional olive groves. This decline was not, however, very significant and has been slowing down, particularly since 2018, which can be attributed to the public support available for this type of grove. How should traditional olive groves be defined? Traditional olive groves can be broadly defined as an extensive, low-density system, generally comprising 100 to 200 olive trees per hectare, with very old trees – often over a hundred years old – in areas that tend to be small or very small in size, but which possess high ecological, landscape and cultural value. Furthermore, accounting for more than a third of the national olive-growing area and being widely found throughout the interior of mainland Portugal, in Trás-os-Montes, Beira Interior and the Alentejo, this system forms the basis of the identity of Portuguese olive oil, which is widely recognised for its quality and authenticity.
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