“For sunflower oil, our stocks go until June. At the microphone of BFMTV, in early April, Michel-Edouard Leclerc wanted to be reassuring. Except that the prices of raw materials are soaring, in a context where Ukraine, invaded by Russia, is the world’s leading exporter of sunflower oil. As a result, supermarket shelves are in tension. Where they usually buy a liter of sunflower oil, consumers fill their shopping cart with three liters. Next door, bottles of olive oil continue to fill the shelves. Good news for producers in Provence, a region where there are more than 3.2 million olive trees, or two-thirds of the French olive grove?
“If there is less sunflower oil, customers will look for another product, but will it be olive oil, butter, I cannot tell you, but if there is any impact a, it will be on the margins for us,” says Yves Guillaumin, director of France Olive, an association that brings together professionals in the sector. In fact, the olive oil present in supermarkets is primarily imported olive oil, at an average price of 7 euros. Spain supplies the largest volumes, followed by Italy and Tunisia.
A local market
Of the 120,000 tons of olive oil consumed in France, 115,000 come from abroad, and 9,500 are produced here, according to figures from France Olive. “You are not going to fry with French olive oil at 25 euros per liter”, continues Yves Guillaumin. 80% of Provençal production is sold in mill shops, delicatessens and on short circuits. “We are in a niche market with high added value,” he continues. It is a production under the sign of quality with seven AOP. We made the choice to stay with our historical varieties and to have a traditional orchard. »
“The production volumes do not meet demand”, analyzes Bénédicte Martin, elected in charge of agriculture, viticulture, rurality and terroir in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’region. Azure. On Thursday, she presented the prizes for the 20th olive oil competition in the region in Marseille. And evoked “a production balance point that is closer to 7,000 tonnes than 5,000 tonnes in order to respond to a real and dynamic local market. »
No communicating vessel effect
“Olive groves are planted every year,” notes Yves Guillaumin, specifying that it takes about ten years before a tree begins to produce. Where the apricot tree or the vine show signs of weakness, agriculture is diversifying. “With the almond tree, the olive fits well into this scheme,” he continues. The sector is working above all on its professionalization and on bringing small abandoned orchards back into production. Not to mention the fight against the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria.
There is therefore no question of competing with the high-density orchards found in the southernmost part of the Mediterranean basin, where the climatic conditions are also more advantageous. And even less with sunflower oil, the most consumed in France. No communicating vessel effect therefore. “And as far as imported olive oil is concerned, the volumes that are in the vats are not going to increase anyway, concludes Yves Guillaumin. The only thing maybe, there may be an impact on the price. »