Those forecasts have proven to be correct. For the 2017-2018 season, there were 1.5 million kilos of olives processed for olive oil. For 2018-2019 this has slumped to 237,000 kilos. The prediction last summer was a decline of some 70%. The reality is worse, as it is over 80%.
The Sant Bartomeu Cooperative explains that the figures correspond to its members. Elsewhere in Majorca the harvest of olives has been better, and this has allowed the cooperative to process a minimum amount of oil. In some parts of the Tramuntana there was a total loss of production.
The production of table olives that conform to the DO (designation of origin) Olives de Mallorca standard has been even worse. It has fallen by almost 98% to 2,300 kilos. The previous harvest had been exceptional, but the decrease is huge nevertheless and is mainly explained by damage by the olive fruit fly. Olives that have been picked at by the fly cannot be considered by the DO.
