Oportunidades comerciales para el aceite de oliva de Castilla-La Mancha

Abstract

Quality olive oils produced in Castilla-La Mancha are difficult to commercialize in the national and international markets due to increasing competition among olive oil companies and their easy replacement by other cheaper seed oils. To increase competitiveness, consumer preference must be discovered. Therefore, 420 surveys were made on vegetable oil consumers in the Madrid metropolitan area in December, 2006. It was detected by means of the conjoint analysis technique, simulation and analysis logit that the type of vegetable oil preferred by consumers was the extra virgin olive oil. Some market opportunities seem to exist for the organic olive oil produced in Castilla-La Mancha and consumers' maximum willingness to pay for organic olive oil with regard to the conventional oil is 13.1%. In addition to this, and with the aim of contributing to the commercialization of the organic olive oil produced in Castilla-La Mancha, the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) could promote the creation of the Protected Geographical Indication of Castilla-La Mancha Organic Olive Oils.