Olive and olive oil sector, which struggles to exist in the international arena started to examine its biggest rival, Spain.

Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association, which arranged, along with a group of olive producers, a sector travel to Spain, which meets 51 percent of world olive oil demand, reached interesting data. The annual agricultural production of the 16 agricultural sale cooperatives pursuing activities in Spain reaches 14 billion Euros. 25 percent of the same is ensured by cooperatives operating in olive and olive oil sector. 70 percent of all of the farmers in the country are members of the cooperatives. Spanish cooperatives which distribute a profit share to their partners every year make new investments with finance they collect from their partners. Ali Nedim Güreli, the Chairman of Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association depicted in his evaluation in the light of such data "If we apply the cooperative system of Spain in Turkey, 300-400 thousand people living on this sector would no longer be a burden to the government.".

The delegation, having examined the Spanish model on-site, also visited to examine Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association, Spanish Agricultural Cooperatives Federation and the enterprises of the leading olive and olive oil cultivators and producers of the country in Madrid, Sevilla and Cordoba cities.  Ali Nedim Güreli, the Chairman of Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association who shared his first impression on the way to Sevilla said that cooperative trading system undertaking should be changed first in Turkey. Güreli said, "If it had been up to me, I would apply the Spanish model exactly as it is. Every work with a government support makes a loss here, but it is not possible that cooperatives in Spain make a loss. He indicated that olive oil sector made a good leap in Turkey in the recent years and underlined the number of trees, which was 90 million in 2000, is now 160 million. Güreli noted that Spain’s number of trees would be achieved in a few years if the increase continues at the same pace, and said "Agricultural sale cooperatives represent 5 percent of the producers in our country. 95 percent is out of scope. Agricultural production is provided a support of 365 billion dollars in the world. In Turkey, this figure is one billion dollars. If premium is granted, then the sector will be registered and 70 percent of the support will come back." Spain is the biggest producer and exporter of olive in the world now. It is estimated that an amount of 2.8 million tons of olive will be produced in the world in 2007-2008. Spain produced 1.1 million tons of olive at the end of 2006-2007 season. Andalusia territory provides 60 percent of the total olive area and 80 percent of the production of the country.

Source: Zaman Newspaper / Ali Rıza Karasu

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