Italy and the IOC reinforce their alliance

IOC Executive Director and Italian Undersecretary of State for Agriculture hold a bilateral meeting

The International Olive Council’s (IOC) Executive Director and the Italian Undersecretary of State for Agriculture convened a bilateral meeting in the framework of the 62^nd session of the Advisory Committee for Olive Oil and Table Olives. The meeting, held in the Italian city of Siena, underscores the ongoing partnership and commitment between the IOC and the Italian Republic to reinforce the olive oil and table olive sector.

During the meeting, Undersecretary of State La Pietra welcomed IOC Executive Director Lillo, expressing his satisfaction with the fact that the olive producing region of Tuscany is hosting this year’s Advisory Committee meeting. Both representatives highlighted Italy’s undisputed importance for both the IOC and the olive sector as a whole.

Both at the bilateral meeting and in his welcome remarks at the Advisory Committee session, Undersecretary La Pietra emphasized the importance of encouraging cross-sector collaboration to enhance the comprehensive sustainability of olive growing and the tree’s by-products, recalling the crop’s fundamental value for the Mediterranean region, home to most of the world’s olive trees.

IOC Executive Director Lillo shared his gratitude for the Italian Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts to welcome the organization’s Advisory Committee, an essential forum for olive sector representatives from all over the world. He recognized Italy’s indispensable contribution to advancing olive growing, and requested the Undersecretary’s support to put olive oil and table olives at the center of the spotlight as part of the solution for sustainably feeding a rapidly growing global population.

Both representatives welcomed the opportunity to enhance the cooperation between Italy and the world’s only international organization dedicated to the olive oil and table olive sector.