Supplies of olive oil from Italy are under serious threat from olive tree leprosy, caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa.
The disease was first detected in Italy in 2013, and has infected more than 21m trees in Puglia, one of the most important olive-growing areas in the world. The “killer bug” is currently moving northwards at a pace of 2km per month, The Times reported.
The disease and bad weather led to a poor harvest last year – production fell almost 60%. The European Commission has called the X. fastidiosa “the most dangerous plant bacteria worldwide”.
The wholesale price of olive oil has remained stable thanks to other countries – Morocco and Tunisia, in particular – plugging the gap. Funding to track the disease is currently “woefully short”, said experts, raising concerns that it could spread to other production areas.
