Spain is enjoying a healthy olive harvest this after two poor seasons, sending prices soaring by more than 50%.
The upshot has been a rise in thefts by roving gangs of robbers. Dozens of thefts have been reported each week since the harvest began.
Producers have taken to forming their own vigilante groups to patrol the olive groves at night. The volunteer farmer groups have had assistance from the Civil Guard which has been coordinating the efforts.
"Gangs are becoming more organised. Where once they stole the odd sack of olives, now they are making off with exorbitant amounts from the trees themselves," explained Juan Metidieri, head of the Agricultural Association of the Young farmers of Extremadura (ASAJA).
"Farmers are having to organise night patrols of the estates in an effort to protect their crops."
Regional governments in Andalusia and Extremadura have been asked by producers to fund extra security to protect the groves, including the use of helicopter patrols and installing CCTV systems.
The producers also are lobbying for more rigorous controls on buying olives and olive oil to prevent rouge black market outlets.
It is the Civil Guard which is called when patrols spot trucks parked in suspicious places.
Last year 254,000 kg of olives were reported stolen and the Guard was able to locate 92,000 of them.
Spain is the world’s largest olive producer in the world, making about 50% of the world’s olive oil.
