OLIVE OIL PILOT PROJECT

Extra Virgin Olive Oil pilot project

Within the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture project (olive oil cluster in Berat) promoted by World Bank and CRAD, in 2025, a pilot initiative was launched aimed at enhancing the quality, traceability, and identity of olive oil production in the Berat region — an area historically renowned for its ancient olive groves and distinctive cultivars. The project involved collaboration with two selected mills (frantoi) to test and refine a shared production protocol for the creation of a premium of a pilot extra virgin olive oil: “Ambassador of Berat.”

A Challenge to Traditional Practices

The new specifications directly address one of the most persistent challenges in the local olive oil sector: the tendency to delay harvesting in order to maximize yield, often at the expense of quality. In many traditional contexts, producers wait until olives are overripe to increase oil extraction rates. However, this practice degrades the aromatic and nutritional profile of the oil and increases the risk of oxidation and defects. By setting strict harvesting and processing standards, the “Ambassador of Berat” pilot aims to shift the focus from quantity to quality.
Harvesting earlier—at the optimal stage of ripeness—and ensuring immediate milling are key to preserving the fruit’s freshness, phenolic content, and sensory complexity. This represents not only a technical innovation, but also a cultural transition: from age-old habits centered on yield, to a new generation of producers committed to excellence and territorial identity.

Innovation in the Production Protocol

A second crucial innovation introduced by the “Ambassador of Berat” protocol concerns the malaxation phase — the gentle mixing of olive paste before extraction. Traditional milling practices often involve extended mixing times and elevated temperatures, intended to maximize oil yield. Yet these conditions can seriously compromise the sensory and nutritional integrity of extra virgin olive oil, leading to the loss of volatile aromas, freshness, and distinctive varietal character. The new protocol establishes shorter malaxation times (5–20 minutes) and ambient temperature processing, aiming to preserve the olive’s natural complexity, antioxidant content, and extra virgin purity. This approach reinforces the project’s broader philosophy: quality through restraint, respecting the fruit’s intrinsic balance rather than overprocessing it.

Phase 1 – Technical Visits and Assessment

The first stage of the project focused on on-site visits to shortlist and select processing mills according to some key parameters including: conditions of the milling factory, state and capacity of existing technology, availability to adopt the pilot process specifications.
During these visits production specifications were drafted, working closely with local producers to define shared standards for olive selection, milling, and olive oil storage.

Phase 2 – Field Visit and Plant and fruit Assessment

In September 2025, a field mission was carried out across three olive groves in Berat representing the main local and introduced varieties: Leccino, Frantoio, and “Grande di Berat“.
The team conducted detailed observations on the ripening stage (invaiatura) and the overall condition of the canopy and fruit load, in order to determine the optimal harvest window.
This assessment provided the scientific basis for the pilot production calendar.

Phase 3 – Drafting of the Production Specifications

Following the technical and agronomic assessments, the team developed the first version of the production specifications (see below)

specifications for pilot production Download

Phase 4 – Harvest and Milling

The olive harvest took place on October 1, 2025, in accordance with the approved specifications. Selected olives were delivered to the participating mills, where pressing and milling operations began on October 2, 2025.
The result was the first pilot production of extra virgin olive oil “Ambassador of Berat”, marking a milestone in the valorization of Berat’s olive-growing heritage.