Italy's olive growers lament poor harvests from extreme weather
At this time of year, the trees on Alan Risolo's land in central Italy should be groaning with olives. But extreme weather blamed on climate change has ruined his harvest.
"Production has fallen by 80 percent," said the 43-year-old farmer from Sabina, north of Rome, despondently holding up a branch with only a few shriveled green and black olives on it.
Known since Roman times for its olive groves, this region boasts trees said to be hundreds, even thousands, of years old.
But changing weather patterns are proving hugely challenging.
"For several years, our land has really suffered from climate change," Risolo told AFP, citing torrential rain contrasted with "long periods of heat lasting into the autumn".
Normally, he and his workers would be in coats for the autumn harvest, when they use electric devices to shake the trees so the fruit falls onto tarpaulins below.
Earlier this week they were collecting the olives while wearing T-shirts, as the thermostat hit 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit).
The cut in production has affected not just Sabina, but most of the central and northern regions of Italy, the world's second-largest producer of olive oil after Spain.
This year national production is estimated to be 290,000 metric tons, down from 315,000 in 2022 and the lowest figure in the last four years, according to agricultural association Coldiretti.
The cut in production has affected not just Sabina, but most of the central and northern regions of Italy, the world's second-largest producer of olive oil after Spain.