Under Delphi extends one of the most historic olive groves in the country. From the foothills of Parnassos to the Corinthian bay, hundreds of thousands of olive trees have formed a single landscape that has accompanied the area for centuries. For the inhabitants of Fokida, the olive grove is not only a productive activity but part of their daily and rural identity.
But behind this picture, people living and working in the olive grove describe a reality much more complex. The fragmentation of the clergy, the limited infrastructure, the increased production costs and the need to adapt to the modern requirements of the crop make up a number of challenges which, according to Mr. Stathis Stavrianos, agronomist and oil producer with perennial knowledge of the olive grove, extend from identity and commercial exploitation of the variety to the monitoring of local conditions and the need for a stronger collective organisation.
This is not about any olive grove. Amfissa olive grove is considered one of the oldest and most important historical olive groves in the Mediterranean and is part of the protected Delphicus Landscape, which is connected over time with the archaeological site of Delphi and the ancient presence of the olive tree in the area.
Amphissa variety: a historical fruit with many possibilities
Amfissa olive grove is identified with the table olive Amphisis or Conservolia Amfissa, one of the most historical and recognizable Greek varieties of table olive. Its presence in the region has been linked for decades to the local economy, social life and rural identity of Fokida.
This variety stands out for the large size of the fruit, the fleshy texture and its relatively mild taste. At the same time, it can be used in different ways, as it is available in different stages of maturation and gives more types of table product, from green to natural black, mature or wrinkled olive.
For many years the area was most identified with the natural black olive Amfissa. Over the last two decades, however, the direction of green olive oil has also been greatly strengthened, especially in areas where irrigation is possible. This development gave different commercial choices to producers and attracted younger people to cultivation, but also heteroprofessionals who maintain it as complementary activity.
The Amphisa olive tree continues to be «identity product» For the place. However, its trade course is affected by market changes, the loss of traditional export destinations and the limited use of its particular identity.
Conservolia Amfissa has for decades been patented as a product of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which highlights the close connection of the variety with its production area. Despite this registration and the unique link between the product and one of the most well-known historical sites in the country, the commercial exploitation of the PDO is estimated not to have developed to the extent that it could.
In Mr Stavrian's assessment, an important part of the high-quality production is directed towards exports, while the picture of the variety on the Greek market has not been strengthened accordingly. Maintaining these quality characteristics, however, is not self-evident. The situation of trees, nutrition, rational irrigation and early monitoring of enemies and diseases directly affect both the quantity and quality of production.
Traditional character and increased cost
The traditional character of the olive grove is not limited to the age of the trees or its historical route. It is also reflected in the form of the landscape, in traditional embankments (the so-called «goat»), in small separate parcels («lards»), the old olive trees and the irregular planting formed over the centuries.
This particular structure is a key element of the figure of the Delphin Olive, but it also creates significant practical difficulties. Unlike a modern, linearly installed olive grove, the movement of machinery, the spread of olive groves and harvest require more time and human work.
Large and often old trees, uneven distances, and limited mechanization potential increase production costs. The problem becomes stronger due to the difficulty of finding land workers, resulting in in several cases producers carrying out the harvest with the help of their families.
The historicality of the olive grove and the gentle (low carbon footprint) method of cultivation are significant advantages, but they are also accompanied by increased production costs, which makes it necessary to provide solutions for the cultivation to remain economically viable.
Multipartition, irrigation and management difficulties
One of the most important issues that emerged in the debate was the structure of the olive grove itself, with particular reference to the multi-sectionation of parcels and the difficulties caused by the lack of integrated infrastructure.
As noted, the morphology of the olive grove and the fragmented clergy make it difficult to develop common infrastructure and implement collective practices, while creating different management needs from region to region. The problem becomes even stronger when part of the oil parcels belongs to owners who do not actively engage in agriculture or do not reside permanently in the area.
On several occasions, producers tried on their own to gather neighbouring pieces, to operate more organized, to limit travel and reduce operating costs. At the same time, however, there was a strong concern about the major difficulties in these processes and the lack of incentives for olive producers.
Despite the difficulties, it was expressed that the small size of the parcels is not in itself an insurmountable disadvantage to tree crops, since there is proper management, access and possibility of commercial exploitation of the product. As has been said, «In an agricultural holding, along with the other olive parcels and a cellar with ten or fifteen olives having, if there is proper management and commerciality of the product, can stand».
A special reference was made to the need to complete irrigation interventions in the areas affected by the large fires, as water assurance is considered crucial for the support of young trees planted to replace the burned for the re-establishment of the olive grove. «As early as the first fire in 2013, we asked for the irrigation to be completed in the fire hit piece to give water to those who burned their trees and put new plants», was the typical report made during the debate.
Collective organisation and technical support
Another point that came back to the debate was the need for a collective approach to the monitoring and overall management of the olive grove. According to what has been said, many modern practices, such as the installation of weather stations, monitoring local conditions, forecasting systems and precision farming tools, are difficult to implement effectively and economically by individual producers.
Their value shall be maximised when used at the level of a group of producers, cooperatives or wider zones, in order to convert data into practical instructions on irrigation, plant protection and the planning of crop interventions. «There's nothing wrong with admitting we don't know anything.», noted features in the discussion, pointing out that cooperation with agronomists and organized structures (e.g. research institutions, agronomic university etc.) is now considered necessary for the proper management of the olive grove.
«The horizon of knowledge has widened so much that it is not possible for each producer neither to know all or to invest time and resources to experiment alone»It was also said, with the assessment that modern technologies and monitoring practices can be used more effectively through collective schemes.
The need for stronger cooperation does not only concern the marketing of production but also technical support, information, coordination of cultivation practices and the claim of the necessary infrastructure. «The right partnership is not only to sell the product but also to support the producer.». This phrase summarises the notion that cooperative schemes can be not only a marketing tool but also a key pillar of scientific and technical support for producers.
A historic olive grove still seeking direction
Despite the difficulties, a common finding in the debate was that Amfissa's olive grove still has significant advantages: its long history, a characteristic variety with strong local identity, a unique landscape and significant experience in the production and exports of table olives.
Η σύνδεσή του με το Δελφικό Τοπίο και η δυνατότητα παραγωγής επιτραπέζιας ελιάς υψηλής ποιότητας μπορούν να αποτελέσουν τη βάση για μια πιο οργανωμένη στρατηγική ανάπτυξης. Ωστόσο, όπως προέκυψε από τη συζήτηση, η επόμενη ημέρα δεν εξαρτάται μόνο από την παραγωγή, αλλά και από την ικανότητα της περιοχής να οργανώσει αποτελεσματικότερα τη διαχείριση του ελαιώνα, να αξιοποιήσει την ταυτότητα του προϊόντος και να εξασφαλίσει τις υποδομές και την τεχνική υποστήριξη που χρειάζονται οι παραγωγοί.
Ο ελαιώνας της Άμφισσας έχει αντέξει στον χρόνο, ξεπερνώντας πιέσεις της αγοράς, φυσικές καταστροφές και κοινωνικές μεταβολές. Το αν θα διατηρήσει και τα επόμενα χρόνια τον παραγωγικό, ιστορικό και πολιτιστικό του χαρακτήρα θα εξαρτηθεί σε μεγάλο βαθμό από τις επιλογές, τη συνεργασία και τον κοινό σχεδιασμό των ανθρώπων που ζουν και εργάζονται μέσα σε αυτόν.
«Πρέπει να σωθεί το καράβι».
Λίγες φράσεις αποτυπώνουν τόσο εύστοχα τη σημερινή αγωνία, αλλά και την ανάγκη συλλογικής προσπάθειας για το μέλλον του ιστορικού ελαιώνα της Άμφισσας.
