Olive growing

Olive oil: Sicily seeks to add value – the challenge lies in innovation

From stock levels to the modernisation of facilities, right through to business collaboration models and organic farming: a discussion in Mondello on the future of the Sicilian olive industry

by Nino Amadore

10 September 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

The burden on the supply chain and the issue of stock
Over 600 olive mills: the challenge is to innovate
From Cofiol to organic: the new models
Barbera: ‘The challenge is to work together’

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Sixteen thousand tonnes of oil still in storage at the end of July, a new season just around the corner and a processing sector comprising over 600 oil mills. For Sicilian olive growing, the game is no longer played solely on the quantity and quality of production, but on the ability to turn these into value: more efficient facilities, technology, collaboration between operators, services and greater commercial clout. This is a decisive step for a region that produces around 12 per cent of Italia’s olive oil – compared with Puglia’s 51 per cent – but has a network of mills that is not far behind that of the leading region in terms of numbers.

The burden of the supply chain and the issue of stock levels

The market is entering the new season with stocks significantly higher than those of a year ago. As at 31 July, Italia held 233,377 tonnes of olive oil, 43.9 per cent more than in the same period of 2025. Sicily accounted for 15,908 tonnes of this, of which 9,950 tonnes were extra virgin olive oil. This comparison highlights the varying scales of the main producing regions: stocks stood at 73,559 tonnes in Puglia and 29,735 tonnes in Calabria.

It is against this backdrop that ‘L’Isola del Tesolio 2026’ returns to Mondello from today (10 September) until 12 September, organised by Oro Sicilia, Cofiol and Oleifici Barbera with the support of the Regional Department of Agriculture. There are three key areas of focus: integration and solidarity within the supply chain, innovation and training, and internationalisation and commercial development.

Over 600 olive mills: the challenge is to innovate

The real industrial challenge lies in processing. Sicily, with 616 active olive oil mills, ranks third in Italia after Puglia, with 746, and Calabria, with 718. This extensive network is a strength, but it also poses challenges in terms of the size of the facilities, efficiency and investment capacity.

The NRRP has allocated €12.69 million to the Region for the modernisation of processing, storage and packaging facilities and to improve their sustainability and efficiency. The Region subsequently put the total funding at around €13.5 million, with 45 projects receiving funding.

But innovation is not just about replacing machinery. The oil mill can become the technological hub of the supply chain: the place where quality and processing times, storage, traceability, energy efficiency and the utilisation of by-products are managed. It is also from here that greater integration with packaging and marketing can begin.

From Cofiol to organic: the new models

One approach is that of consolidation. Cofiol, the olive sector consortium, brings together six packaging plants, a network of 50 oil mills, over 200 farms and more than 5,000 smallholders, linking production, processing and marketing. This model aims to create critical mass within a system characterised by significant fragmentation.

Then there is the strength of organic farming: 33.1 per cent of Sicily’s olive-growing land is cultivated using organic methods, compared with an Italian average of 29.3 per cent. Here, too, the issue is economic: turning a distinctive feature of production into a value differential recognised by the market.

These topics will be discussed on the very first day of Tesolio. The discussion on new horizons for the sector and solidarity within the supply chain will feature, amongst others, the Regional Councillor for Agriculture, Luca Sammartino, and Salvatore Malandrino, UniCredit’s Regional Manager for Sicily, alongside representatives from the worlds of production, distribution and institutions. On the subject of technological innovation, experts and academics from the sector will also speak, including Tiziano Caruso, Agnese Taticchi and Alessandro Leone, as part of Pieralisi Day, dedicated to technologies applied to olive oil mills.

Barbera: ‘The challenge is to work together’

“L’Isola del Tesolio stems from the conviction that the future of Sicilian extra virgin olive oil is not built solely in the mills or olive groves, but on the ability to work as a cohesive whole, to forge relationships and to transform the extraordinary quality of our produce into recognised value in the markets and in consumer culture – explains Manfredi Barbera, CEO of Manfredi Barbera e Figli S.p.A. – Sicily has everything it needs to take centre stage: unique cultivars, extraordinary landscapes, expertise and a history stretching back millennia. Today, the challenge is to strengthen ties throughout the supply chain, invest in innovation and training, and open up ever more to international markets. ‘L’Isola del Tesolio’ aims to be precisely this: a place where the supply chain comes together, shares its story and shapes the future.”