The 'I Festival del Aceite Córdoba Virgen Extra' will be held at Plaza de las Tendillas

From February 2 to 4, the Plaza de las Tendillas, in the capital of Cordoba, will become the epicenter of extra virgin olive oil, thanks to the support and financing of the Provincial Council of Cordoba, through the Provincial Institute for Economic Development (Iprodeco), and the Cordoba City Council, through the Provincial Institute of Economic Development (Iprodeco), and the City Council of Cordoba, and organized by the Consortium of Cordoba Gastronomy, with the work of the Designations of Origin of Baena, Lucena and Priego, ACORA, AEMO and QV Extra.

In relation to this event, the president of Iprodeco, Félix Romero, has pointed out that "'Córdoba Virgen Extra' is born in a context where the production of oil and olives is decreasing; with a deficit of water resources and where production costs are rising".

According to Romero, "a context that is complicated by an escalation of prices, whose production costs are around 6.22 euros per kilo, and in mountain areas can exceed 10 euros / kilo. In short, a situation in which costs are rising and production is falling, in a 23-24 season in which we will have 140,000 tons of oil, less than 50% less than in a normal campaign".

"Faced with this complex panorama, the I Festival of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Córdoba is born and will do so with the presence of more than 40 producers and mills and with an extensive program of activities in which the EVOO and its production process takes center stage," said Romero.

For the also third vice president of the Provincial Council of Cordoba and delegate of Economic Development, Promotion and Employment, "this initiative is born in a difficult situation for farmers, mills, packers and consumers, which reduce by 40% their purchase, but is launched with the union of a sector convinced that Cordoba produces the best oil in the world".

I Festival del Aceite Córdoba Virgen Extra Program

The program of activities proposed for this first edition of Córdoba Virgen Extra will begin on February 1 with an inaugural conference at the Royal Stables, which will also include the Protected Designations of Origin of Montilla-Moriles and Los Pedroches.

From February 2 to 4, five olive oil tastings will be held in Las Tendillas, organized by the Designations of Origin of Baena, Lucena and Priego, by AEMO and by QV Extra.

There will also be a shop window contest, a contest entitled 'Pinta un olivo', aimed at schoolchildren and sponsored by El Corte Inglés, and Mediterranean Goose game sessions for children in which they can learn key concepts for a healthy diet.

Similarly, there will be a salmorejo workshop also aimed at children, led by Matías Vega; a real oil extraction in a small oil mill in the Tendillas; and a gastronomic route with EVOO as the focal point. Finally, the program includes a salmorejada for Saturday and a miller's breakfast on Sunday.