Expected results

Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil in the world, following Spain and Italy. In the Region of Central Macedonia, the olive is cultivated mainly in the PE of Halkidiki, with an annual production of 80,000 tons of edible olives and 7,000 tons of olive oil. In Halkidiki, the area of ​​olive trees is estimated at 414,000 acres, while approximately 80 processing units have been established with mainly export activity (Region of Central Macedonia, 2013). However, the cost of olive production in Greece amounts to €1.00/kg, in contrast to €0.60/kg in Spain where processing costs are also lower (Mylonas, 2015).

The objective of the Operational Plan is to reduce production costs and minimize losses, providing the means for the maximum possible control of pests and diseases and the optimal organization of cultivation operations. Research has shown the importance of decision-making systems in reducing production costs. Miranda et al. (2019) reported a 37% reduction in the use of bollworm insecticides using similar applications in olive. Accordingly,Perlot et al. (2016) reported a reduction in the cost of using insecticides from €174 to €224/ha in the vineyard.

On the other hand, Greek olive oil lags behind in its business exploitation. The need for traceability to strengthen relationships of trust between suppliers and consumers is recognized as important for its competitiveness. The Operational Plan will implement a traceability system, which will provide a complete description of the olive production line.