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The Executive Director of the International Olive Council (IOC) inaugurated the 13th edition of the World Olive Oil Exhibition (WOOE) in Madrid on 3 March, one of the leading international meeting points for the olive oil sector. The event brought together professionals from 59 participating countries, including producers, traders, buyers and institutional representatives.
The inauguration ceremony opened with remarks from the organisers and the presentation of the WOOE Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding contributions to nutrition communication, rural development, oleotourism and the international promotion of olive oil.
In his inaugural conference, titled “A vision for the future of olive oil: meeting challenges, leveraging opportunities”, Executive Director Jaime Lillo presented an overview of the global olive oil market, underlining the uncertain context facing the sector, shaped by climatic pressures, market volatility and evolving consumption trends. With global consumption reaching 3,215 thousand tonnes and production at 3,572 thousand tonnes in the 2024/25 crop year, the sector continues to face significant challenges while also demonstrating strong potential for growth.
He emphasised the importance of international cooperation, reliable market analysis and dialogue among stakeholders to address these challenges and ensure the sustainable development of the sector.
As part of the programme, the Head of the IOC’s Standardisation and Research Unit, Mercedes Fernández, also organised an extra virgin olive oil tasting session on the second day of the exhibition, offering visitors an opportunity to learn more about quality evaluation and the sensory characteristics that define extra virgin olive oil. The session began with a presentation on the International Olive Council, its work in standardisation, and the quality and composition of extra virgin olive oil, as well as an introduction to the olive oil tasting technique. Participants then had the opportunity to taste four extra virgin olive oils awarded at the Mario Solinas Quality Award, gaining practical insight into the attributes that distinguish high-quality oils.
