First Eco-Certified Portuguese Olive Oil Set to Fetch Premium Prices Abroad

Portugal’s olive oil industry has just gained a powerful new calling card: Casa Relvas’ freshly minted sustainability seal under the national Olive Oil Sustainability Programme (PSA). The certification is more than a plaque on the wall—it is a potential passport to premium prices abroad, validation for responsible farming at home and, some hope, the start of a new wave of eco-labels that could reshape how Portuguese olive oil competes with big-name rivals from Spain, Italy and Greece.

Why It Matters for Consumers and Producers

• First ever PSA certificate issued to a Portuguese producer

• 98-point audit covering environmental, social and economic criteria

• Early data suggest the seal could unlock price premiums in the US, Germany and Japan

• Small growers face tight margins and red tape when trying to meet the same standards

Green Badge Lands in Alentejo

The inaugural certificate went to Casa Relvas, a family-run group that manages 2,500 ha of olive groves, vineyards and forest across Vidigueira and Redondo. The firm already powers its mill with olive-pit biomass, sprinkles cover crops between tree rows to curb erosion and has lined rooftops with photovoltaic panels. CEO António Relvas says the PSA process did not force any radical overhaul but did spark "new targets" for cutting water use and tightening waste accounting.

OLIVUM, the growers’ association behind the scheme, launched the PSA with the University of Évora in 2022 and widened it nationwide two years later. Certification is handled by APCER-accredited auditors, a move organisers say guarantees independence.

How the PSA Seal Works

Each applicant is measured against 26 themed chapters that together make up 98 verifiable checkpoints. Among them:• Soil health metrics such as organic-matter retention• Water-efficiency ratios for irrigation• Biodiversity inventories of flora and fauna• Fair-labour benchmarks, including seasonal-worker housing• Energy-intensity calculations per litre of oilThe model is modular—growers, mills and bottlers each complete a shared core plus a tailored annex. Producers unable to tick every box at first can lodge a formal improvement plan, but must show progress at annual reviews.

From Vidigueira to Tokyo: What the Label Could Mean on Shelf

Market analysts consulted by OLIVUM argue the badge could justify a 5-10 % price lift in premium retail channels abroad. In the US, where Italian dominance has slipped, importers value traceability. German retailers have publicly committed to sourcing “deforestation-free” goods by 2028, and Japanese buyers pay extra for audited food safety and origin stories.Portugal already exports 70 % of its olive oil output; a sustainability angle may help the industry nudge volumes higher even in seasons when overall harvests plateau.

Can Small Groves Keep Up?

Experts such as José Duarte of the Cooperativa de Moura e Barrancos warn that smaller holdings—often under 50 ha—risk being left behind. Up-front audit fees, the need for digital record-keeping and investment in efficient irrigation systems can exceed short-term cash flow. Proposed fixes include:

Group certification models to spread costs

Soft-loan windows tied to rural-development funds

An expanded network of field technicians to guide complianceWithout such support, he says, “the sustainability premium may stay a large-farm privilege.”

What Comes Next

OLIVUM confirms that "multiple producers are in late-stage audits" and expects the first bottles bearing the green PSA logo to reach Portuguese supermarket shelves by Easter. Relvas plans to feature the seal on its monovarietal Galega line and in a new organic blend aimed at Nordic markets.

If the rollout succeeds, the PSA could set a template for similar schemes in almonds, wine and cork, three other Alentejo staples with growing international traction. For shoppers in Portugal, the new seal adds yet another layer of choice—one that links the peppery notes of a local olive oil to a farm’s footprint on water tables, energy bills and community paycheques.

Bottom line: A single certificate will not save the planet, but it might nudge both big estates and pocket-sized groves toward clearer, greener practices— and give "made in Portugal" olive oil a story worth its higher shelf price.