Surging olive oil prices, driven in part by two years of drought in Spain, has meant opportunity for criminals across the Mediterranean. Warehouse break-ins, dilution of premium oil with inferior product, and falsification of shipping data are on the rise in olive-growing heartlands of Greece, Spain and Italy. Bekas, who owns 5,000 olive trees, suffered repeated raids by thieves before deciding to take an early harvest. After decades of growth, the global olive oil market has been disrupted by a nearly two-year drought in Spain, which typically accounts for about 40% of world supply. The regional agricultural association issued a plea for police assistance following reports that 100 olive trees were destroyed or seriously damaged in a single incident last month.

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Persons: Konstantinos Markou, –, ” Markou, Neilos Papachristou, Christos Bekas, we’ve, ”, That's, Gennaro Sicolo, Ciaran Giles, Colleen Barry, Raf Casert Organizations: Farmers Locations: SPATA, Greece, Athens, Spain, Italy, Puglia, Papachristou's, Bari, Madrid, Milan, Brussels