March 24, 2009
Spain’s olive growers face trouble with economy in the pits
Spain has the highest unemployment rate in Europe at 14.8 percent.
Worldfocus special correspondent Martin Seemungal traveled recently to southern Spain, to the region of Andalucia, where he discovered that almost that almost no one is immune from the global recession — not even the many olive growers there.
4 comments
For most of the spanish people, olive oil is included in our everyday diet because of the good properties it has for the human helth, and the price in the supermarket make it affordable for the customer(more in this time of crisis, when you can find it in the selves by 2.50 $/lt or less).
When we travel round USA, we are surprised that olive oil is taken as a delicatessen, only for spray in the salad and the price is more than five times than in Spain. I think it is because of the numerous steps in the traditional channels of distribution and their high marges.
Ithink nowadays must be possible to have a direct relationship between producers (Spanish producers Cooperatives) and the distribution chains or department stores in USA. I think we must try it. Why not?
Has anyone suggested selling the oilive oil for biodiesel purposes? Just a thought on how to survive.
-Rob
thanks for your vision about the troble from spain and we hope that you understand as better aour point of view
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08/12/2009 :: 03:52:03 PM
denise macdonald Says:
I am a treefruit grower in a small valley in British Columbia, Canada. Apples, cherries, hogs, cattle, vegtables–all commodities are suffering in the same way (unless supply managed). The farmers globally need to connect and ask the leaders if they want us around for the long run to produce safe, affordable, adequate food for the populations around the world. Using food as a ‘lost leader’ to lure customers into the store translates into another lost farmer because of lost revenue. What is Spain’s food policy?? Canada doesn’t have one. I suppose we’ll get one when people are hungry.