Cobrançosa and Cordovil, are distinctive assets, but they require research and development to ensure their economic viability. Sustainability must be established as a cornerstone, with a focus on water efficiency and the adoption of technologies and good agricultural practices. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen the organisation of the sector, promoting greater coordination between production, processing and marketing. Consumer education is equally crucial. Increasing knowledge about olive oil contributes to its appreciation and to growth in consumption. Finally, Portugal must clearly establish itself as a source of high-quality olive oil, investing in a consistent ‘country brand’ strategy, with coordinated communication and a presence in international markets. In summary, the olive oil sector in Portugal must pursue a development model that balances tradition and innovation, preserves its unique assets, and continues to modernise in a sustainable manner, whilst strengthening its organisational and communication capabilities to compete in an increasingly demanding global market. The olive oil sector currently faces a series of very demanding structural challenges, both nationally and internationally, the most critical of which is undoubtedly the impact of climate change. Irregular rainfall, prolonged droughts and increasingly frequent heatwaves are causing significant instability in production, with large fluctuations in the quantity produced and, at times, also affecting the quality of the olive oil. This volatility increases economic risk and places additional pressure on natural resources, particularly water. When we refer to olive groves, we mean both those managed using modern, irrigated, technologically advanced and production-oriented systems, and traditional systems on a smaller scale with lower profitability per unit of area. It is important to bear this asymmetry in mind so as not to undermine the sector’s territorial and social cohesion, particularly in the most vulnerable rural regions. There is also the issue of the organisation of the value chain. Despite growth in production and exports, capturing greater value throughout the sector remains a challenge. There is an urgent need to promote the ‘Azeite de Portugal’ brand – a role that AIFO will take on in the short term – as well as to establish strong brands and effectively communicate the origin, quality and sustainability of olive oil in a highly competitive international market that remains largely price-driven. Despite these challenges, I believe that the olive oil sector offers very significant opportunities. Globally, there is a trend towards growing demand, driven by the increasing recognition of olive oil as a healthy product associated with the Mediterranean diet, and by the expansion of consumption in new markets as well as in less established ones. At the same time, the premium, organic and sustainable segments have also been gaining ground, which opens up scope for differentiation strategies. In Portugal’s case, these opportunities are particularly evident, which is why the country has been establishing itself as a producer of highFernando Rosário AIFO: Interprofessional Association of the Olive Sector Fernando Rosário is an animal husbandry engineer, olive grower and an expert in the olive sector. He is chairman of the Board of AIFO and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Beja and Brinches Agricultural Cooperative. He was also chair of the ‘Olives and Olive Oil’ Working Group of COPA-COGECA (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations – General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives), the organisation representing agricultural producers and their cooperatives in the European Union, and is currently a member of this group. He also serves on the International Olive Council (IOC). 78 CULTIVAR ANALYSIS AND PROSPECTIVE STUDIES No. 35 Olive groves and olive oil
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