Hot and dry autumn is lowering the forecast for olive oil production in Spain

to prevent desertification and preserve soil fertility. The lack of rain and high temperatures in September and October have led Spain’s largest agricultural cooperative to revise its olive oil production estimates down to 1.3 million metric tons for the 2025/26 crop year. According to Spain’s state-run meteorological agency, the beginning of autumn has brought above-average temperatures, negatively affecting oil accumulation in the fruit and potentially its quality as well. As recently as September, Spanish olive oil production was expected to match or even exceed last crop year’s yield of 1.45 million tons. Now, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias anticipates production will not meet the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s 1.37 million ton estimate published in October. While irrigated olive groves will be fine after plentiful winter and spring precipitation refilled Andalusian aquifers, lakes and reservoirs, olive farmers said rain in November could improve the situation ...