More than $380,000 worth of olive oil stolen in Greece as prices of ‘liquid gold’ soar due to poor harvest: ‘Not a drop left’

A Greek olive oil cooperative was attacked by thieves who stole more than $388,000 worth of product, and locals believe it was an inside job.

Last week, approximately 37 tons, or about 9,000 gallons, of olive oil were stolen from the Polygyros Olive Oil Cooperative, which includes approximately 200 local producers.

Thieves also attacked an oil mill in Messinia and stole 100 kg or 28 gallons of oil.

According to The Guardian, the bandits gained access to the warehouses through a battered iron gate in Polygyros and a high-tech security portal in Messinia.

“The oil is gone,” said Yannis Keliafanos, a farmer. “There is very little left.”

The amount of oil stolen is worth $388,000, according to Greek Reporter, adding that members of the cooperative believe it was an inside job.

“Suddenly on Monday, the oil producers who went to look for the oil they had left in custody in the cooperative’s tanks discovered that there was not a drop of oil in the tanks,” said Thanasis Yovanoudas, a lawyer for the producers. local. the outlet.

Bag of olives.Approximately 37 tons, or about 9,000 gallons, of olive oil were stolen last week from the Polygyros Olive Oil Cooperative, which includes approximately 200 local producers. gatsi

“The next day the cooperative reported that a theft had occurred over the weekend, a position with which the olive growers do not agree. Little by little the oil was sold through the cooperative or in another way,” he continued. “We believe it was done through the cooperative, but we can’t say who did it.”

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The theft comes after a year of poor harvest that caused olive oil prices to skyrocket.

“When olive oil prices in the last year increased by 200% due to low yields, there is a lot of money available,” Manolis Yiannoulis, director of the Greek olive oil association, EDOE, told The Guardian.

A woman buying olive oil. The theft comes after a year of poor harvest that caused olive oil prices to skyrocket. The country is also facing a supply shortage of olive oil. Fatih Kucuktezcan

Yiannoulis believes a shortage of olive oil contributed to the theft.

“They don’t buy jewelry anymore, they prefer olive oil,” said local journalist Themis Kanellopoulos, according to The Guardian. “In Upper Messenia there have been cases of house break-ins by thieves interested only in storage areas, and for the first time we have seen olive oil stolen from cemeteries.”

Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil behind Spain and Italy. This year’s harvest is expected to be half of normal.

According to authorities, in March, sixteen bandits were captured for stealing 19 tons of olives in Spain.

The group robbed six farms in the Las Vegas region, outside the capital, Madrid, Agence France-Presse reported. Sixteen people were arrested and another five were investigated by the national police.

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Source: vtt.edu.vn

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