The first edition of the Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC) was inaugurated in the auditorium of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) in Madrid, which, from today until June 28, becomes the world capital of olive oilThis is a first-ever event in the world that will cover all the stages of the production of this product, with the aim of presenting the main technological innovations that will allow the sector to address the challenge of climate change and improve its competitiveness in the future.
More than 300 participants from 25 nationalities They will meet during these three days in this meeting that is designed for all types of professionals, operators and researchers in the sector, which was created with the aim of becoming the most important event in the world for the industry every two years.
The opening and institutional event of the OOWC has had the participation of Francisco Javier Morenovice president of International Relations of the CSIC; Peter Cheappresident of the Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional Association; Raul Compesdirector of the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) in Zaragoza; Abdessalem Loued, president of the IOC Advisory Committee; and Javad Mirarabpresident of the International Olive Council (IOC).
Barato pointed out that “this congress is going to be the place where we are going to start preparing for the coming challenges. And, honestly, I am glad that it is celebrated in Spain, since few sectors of the world economy offer leadership as solid as that of our country in olive oil.”
Compés has claimed that we must all work together, investing in knowledge and human capital to improve this sector. Loued, on the other hand, stressed the need for innovation: “Quality is essential to conquer the large markets that are not yet convinced to use olive oil in their diet. “We have to produce quality and offer consumers around the world this product at the best possible price and, for that, we need innovation.”
For Mirarab, “this event, without a doubt, will make a global community like that of olive oil unite more closely and with a double motivation: to examine problems and solve shortcomings.”
After this institutional event, Jaime Lillo, executive director of the IOC, gave the inaugural presentation ‘A vision for the future: meeting challenges, leveraging opportunities’, in which he stated that “we must produce more oil and in a sustainable way, although we also have to face the challenge of globalization. Our role is that, wherever in the world someone opens a bottle of olive oil, they have a good experience.”
He climate change, lack of water and many other issues that have occurred in the last two years have generated a significant decline in campaigns around the world. “The celebration of the first edition of the OOWC represents an important opportunity for all world producers to exchange experiences and knowledge that will allow them to improve their productive structures and prepare them to face the near future, not only in the Mediterranean arc but also in the new producing countries,” said Ricardo Migueláñez, general coordinator of the congress, who spoke during the opening of the same.
As it cannot be otherwise, during the OOWC the theory will also be put into practice and, with the help of the Interóleo Group, all lunches and breakfasts at the congress will be accompanied by extra virgin olive oil from this company. , one of the most important operators in marketing worldwide.
Under the motto ‘Taste it, enjoy it, it’s olive oil’the OOWC has the collaboration of AgroBank, MSC, CIA-Agricoltori Italiani, John Deere, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food through its #alimentosdEspaña strategy, the Interprofessional del Aceite de Oliva Español, the Junta de Andalucía through its brand ‘Gusto del Sur’, Filiera Oleicola Olearia Italiana and ‘Campo y Alma’, the quality guarantee brand for food from Castilla-La Mancha, as Platinum sponsors; Grupo Interóleo, Büttner, Yara International, GEA, OLEOMAQ-Oleotec, AGQ Labs and Balam Agriculture as Gold sponsors; the company Kubota, Hispatec, Asoliva, Todolivo and SGS as Silver sponsors; Agrocolor as other sponsors. Agrotec, Voz do Campo, Puglia Live, Grupo Joly and Oleo are the Media Partners of the OOWC.
About the OOWC:
The Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC) is an event that will bring together the main global speakers in each subject, generating knowledge about the latest developments and innovations in each link of the value chain. It will bring together all operators in the sector worldwide, with the aim of uniting their will to continue working together. Taking into account that Spain is the world leader in production, marketing and export of olive oil, it has been decided that the first edition would be held in Madrid in 2024, although the project began in 2023 with the promotional actions of “En route towards OOWC-2024”. After this first edition, the venue will be mobile, although inter-congress activities will be carried out around the world.
