How to enhance the olive oil sector with a view to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Luca Sebastiani, full professor at the Institute of Plant Production, participated in Tuttofood 2025

Only sustainability can make Italian olive growing competitive again. This was the message that emerged during the talk “Two years of Planet O-live: Knowledge, Sharing and Growth for Sustainable Development” organized by the olive oil company Costa d'Oro as part of TuttoFood 2025, the B2B trade fair for the entire agri-food ecosystem.
Luca Sebastiani, full professor of General Arboriculture and Tree Cultivation at the Institute of Plant Production, participated on behalf of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. The event addressed how Italian olive growing can regain its competitiveness from an economic, social, and environmental sustainability perspective. In a country like Italy, which has always appreciated and consumed extra virgin olive oil, the national olive sector shows clear signs of production problems. According to the latest surveys, average national production is now in sharp decline, with production at an all-time low. This scenario is the result of structural difficulties in the olive oil supply chain: small farms, obsolete equipment, lack of innovation, and a lack of national policies that recognize fair value for producers. In recent years, this has been compounded by growing problems related to climate variability and the spread of new pathogens.

“There are few real agricultural entrepreneurs,” says Luca Sebastiani, “and they have to compete in a very dynamic international market, where competitors are often better organized and able to network.”

The revitalization of the sector requires an assessment of the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of companies.

“During the two years of the Planet O-live project, supported by Costa d'Oro, we have sought to understand the problems faced by businesses, share solutions, and help producers grow in a sustainable way. This is why the project's motto is based on the 3Cs: Knowledge, Sharing, and Growth.”

The event was an opportunity to present the path traced by Costa d'Oro two years after the launch of the “Planet O-live” plan: a model that focuses on empowering olive growers, protecting the territory, and a 360-degree vision of sustainability: from production to product innovation, to dialogue with consumers and local communities.