Festival to Showcase Herzegovina’s Growing Olive Oil Sector

The inaugural HerzOliveFest in Mostar will showcase the rapid growth of Herzegovina’s olive sector, with producers and experts discussing expansion, quality, technology and a proposed Adriatic olive oil brand.

“Our olive growers have earned an event like this,” Josip Mustapić, president of the Herzegovina Association of Olive Growers and Oil Producers and a prominent agronomist, told Olive Oil Times.

Marko Ivanković, director of the Federal Agro-Mediterranean Institute and widely regarded as one of the driving forces behind the revival of olive cultivation in the region, said Herzegovina has expanded from about 80 hectares of olive groves to approximately 643 hectares.

Ivanković said the growth demonstrates that olive cultivation is no longer developing sporadically, but has become a sector with significant long-term potential.

Achievements and Strategic Goals

“It is a path from which, it seems, there is no turning back,” Ivanković said, adding that the Federal Agro-Mediterranean Institute in Mostar is actively monitoring and supporting the sector’s development.

Looking ahead, Ivanković said a strategic objective should be to expand the region’s olive groves to 1,000 hectares by 2030. Given the current pace of planting, he believes the target is achievable and could even be reached ahead of schedule.

The region has already reached several milestones. Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Herzegovina has received Protected Designation of Origin status, the “Golden Drops of Herzegovina” trademark has been established and Bosnia and Herzegovina has joined the International Olive Council.

Ivanković also highlighted the recent success of Herzegovinian producers at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition in New York. Producers from Bosnia and Herzegovina earned awards for 16 of 19 entries, including 15 Gold Awards and one Silver Award.

He said the results demonstrated that extra virgin olive oil from Herzegovina has achieved quality recognized at the international level.

Success in New York Raises Profile

“It is a huge step forward,” Ivanković said. “A few years ago, we had only one producer competing in New York. Today, we are talking about results that place us among the highly successful.”