A relevant government minister on Monday reassured small olive oil producers, and by extension consumers, that there was no plan to alter regulations governing the transport for sale of olive oil between the latter to the former – a time-honored tradition in the east Mediterranean country. The statement by Deputy Minister of Economy & Finance Christos Dimas came after reports suggested that an amendment would be introduced imposing fines of up to 5,000 euros for individuals transporting olive oil in 17-liter tins without paperwork.
“We have not planned any changes to this. The rumors circulating in recent days are not true,” the deputy minister stated. In an effort to clarify the issue, he explained that the informal transportation of small quantities of olive oil is a long-standing practice in Greece. “For those who want to be fully compliant with the law, they can use smaller 5-liter containers,” he noted.
It should be noted that the existing law allows the transportation of olive oil without documentation only in containers of up to 5 liters. The 17-liter tins, which dominate the Greek market, will now require detailed documentation for transportation.
Producers, on their part, claim that these changes could place an excessive burden on small-scale producers, further reducing their already limited income.
Dimas further clarified that the regulatory framework governing olive oil transportation has been in place since 2017, emphasizing that there is no intention to alter the current system. He also explained that the informal practice of transporting small quantities of olive oil among friends and family continues without any legal violations.
The deputy minister also highlighted the government’s strategy for standardizing Greek olive oil. Dimas stressed that the government’s priority is to export Greek olive oil as a packaged product, increasing the monetary value generated by the sector.
“We want to reduce the large-scale trade of bulk olive oil, as well as the practice of selling Greek olive oil to foreign countries where it is packaged and generates significantly greater value,” he added.
