On the bustling streets of Glyfada, a seaside suburb of Athens, an unusual scene unfolds: nets spread beneath olive trees as workers harvest their fruit near a bus stop. What began a decade ago as an initiative to help vulnerable residents has now become a growing trend across Greece.
According to malaymail.com, with olive oil prices soaring to between €9 and €18 per liter, municipalities like Glyfada, Thessaloniki, and Patras are reclaiming the untapped bounty of street olive trees to produce free oil for those in need. Glyfada’s harvest this year is estimated at around one tone, distributed entirely free of charge.
“This is good oil… all of Greece makes good olive oil,” remarked Stavros Giakoumakis, Glyfada’s deputy mayor for greenery, who has overseen the project since 2014. He emphasised its potential: “If every municipality did the same, vulnerable families would have enough olive oil to last the year.”
However, concerns over urban pollution cast a shadow on these efforts. Experts warn that olives grown in high-traffic areas may contain harmful pollutants like mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAHs), which pose health risks.
“I would not consume olive oil that has not been analysed,” cautioned biochemist Constantinos Demopoulos.
Despite the risks, locals like Eleni Papachristopoulou acknowledge the necessity. “We are worried… but people eat the olives—soon they won’t have other options anyway,” she said.
For now, Glyfada’s tangy street oil offers a bittersweet solution to a pressing crisis.
Source: AFP, malaymail.com
