Menorca joins the debate on the future of olive growing and the marketing of Balearic olive oil

Menorca will play a prominent role in the 1st Technical Conference “The Future of Olive Growing in the Balearic Islands”, which will be held on 30 September at the School of Hospitality of the Balearic Islands. The event will bring together producers, technicians, researchers and representatives of the main quality labels from Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza to analyse the challenges facing the olive oil sector, from cultivation to marketing.

Menorca’s presence will be particularly notable in the 10.30 am session, devoted to the current situation and trends in olive oil production across the Islands. Manuel Martínez, president of the Oli de Menorca PGI, will take part alongside Joan Mayol, president of the Oli de Mallorca PDO, and Miquel Guasch, representative of the Oli d’Eivissa PGI. The aim will be to compare the similarities and differences between the production models of the three islands.

The conference will also address issues of particular interest to Menorca’s agricultural sector, such as olive growing in an increasingly arid environment, research aimed at supporting producers, factors that may limit production, and advances in quality and processing.

Marketing will occupy a significant part of the programme. Jaime Lillo, Executive Director of the International Olive Council, will analyse global trends in quality olive oils, while other presentations will focus on the recovery of olive varieties, sales strategies and the possibility of applying to the olive oil sector some of the lessons learned from the marketing of island wines.

Menorca will once again be represented in the afternoon round tables. Manuel Martínez will take part in the session devoted to production organisation, alongside representatives of cooperatives and companies from the sector.

The conference is organised by Oli de Menorca, the Oli de Mallorca PDO and the Aceite de Ibiza PGI and is aimed especially at professionals, small producers, marketing agents, technicians, scientists, students and island administrations.

For Menorca, the event represents an opportunity to give greater visibility to a still small-scale production that is increasingly linked to quality, territory and differentiation, while also sharing future strategies with the rest of the Balearic olive oil sector.