Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

Growing numbers for Sicilian oil, protagonist at Vinitaly SOL, in Verona

Two thousand tons per year is the quantity of certified Sicilian oil; PGI represents approximately 10% of the 160 thousand hectares of olive groves on the island

Everyone's crazy about Sicilian oil. Great success for the tasting organized by the Irvo (Regional Wine and Oil Institute) of Sicily in the Sol pavilion at Vinitaly 2025. Protagonists five labels out of 25 which exhibit Sicilian PGI extra virgin olive oil in the space.

≪A sensorial journey that crosses the whole island – he explains Antonio Sparacio, deputy head of the Sicily IGP Oil panel – in a crescendo of emotions." Tasters from all over Italy and even some curious foreigners while the Irvo event reviews the best of Sicilian production.

≪Irvo fully carries out the role of certifying body with a continuous increase in the protected geographical indication created in 2016. The data, despite the difficult last year, are increasingly comforting", he states Michele Riccobono, head of the PGI Oil Control and Certification Operational Unit. The quantity of certified PGI oil is around 2 thousand tonnes per year."

Obviously we aim to do even more, considering that, as Riccobono recalls, ≪certified production represents a small drop in the great sea of a market that highlights a constantly growing demand for Sicilian oil of certified quality". Currently PGI represents approximately 10% of the 160 thousand hectares of olive groves on the island, but the trend is always growingto. ≪The Institute's commitment – he concludes Gaetano Aprile, director of Irvo – will continue in terms of quality certification, but also of support and valorisation of the excellence of Sicilian oil production, also because we have understood that this represents a sector with enormous market margins not only in Italy".