Photo of Javan tiger from 1938 that may be back from extinction. Credit: Andries Hoogerwerf / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Researchers claim that Javan tigers, thought to have been extinct fifty years ago, might still exist. Despite doubts from scientists, signs suggest a similar big cat roams Java.
In the past, Indonesia had three tiger types: Sumatran, Javan, and Bali tigers, each on a different island. Sumatran tigers are at risk, while Javan and Bali tigers are believed to be extinct due to hunting and loss of habitats, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Spottings of Javan tigers go back to 1976, and reports of such sightings on Java persist. A new study, published on March 21st in the journal Oryx, seemed to validate this persistence.
The study authors examined a lone hair strand found on a plantation in West Java, suggesting the tiger may still roam the island.
DNA from a recent hair sample matched that of Javan tiger
The DNA extracted from the hair closely resembled DNA from a Javan tiger pelt collected in 1930, housed in a museum, as per the study. Yet, tiger geneticists have voiced doubts about the study’s reliability.
Luo Shu-Jin, an evolutionary geneticist from Peking University in China, shared concerns with Live Science. Her team reexamined the DNA data from the study and identified errors along with possible sample contamination.
The Sumatran tiger was believed to be the only living tiger population in the Sunda Islands in Indonesia. However, in 2022 the Javan tiger was spotted and after genetic analysis of a hair sample, the discovery was confirmed. pic.twitter.com/VMBZTTxIyO
“The errors may result from various reasons that are impossible to trace based on the information provided by [the study’s authors],” Luo said. “Considering the likelihood of contamination during the production of the putative tiger hair sample and the museum Javan tiger specimen, it is inappropriate to use these sequences to conclude the existence of the Javan tiger.”
Anubhab Khan, a postdoctoral researcher specializing in tiger genetics at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, also reviewed the data.
In a conversation with The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) last week, he expressed uncertainty about confirming if the hair originated from a tiger based on the study’s data. However, he informed Live Science he has teamed up with the study authors to perform a new analysis.
Research began after the Javan tiger was seen in August 2019
The new investigation commenced following a report by Ripi Yanur Fajar, a resident and conservationist from Java. In August 2019, Fajar claimed to have witnessed a large cat leaping between a road and a plantation near the village of Cipeundeuy in the forest of South Sukabumi.
Nine days later, researchers visited the site and discovered a hair on a nearby fence, alongside what appeared to be tiger footprints and claw marks.
Following an interview with Fajar in June 2022, the study authors concluded the hair likely belonged to a Javan tiger. Their DNA analysis conducted in the same year seemed to support this hypothesis. However, Luo’s team identified multiple errors in their analysis, as reported by Live Science.
Tesla lays off ‘more than 10%’ of its worldwide workforce. Credit: bfishadow / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Tesla informed its employees that it is cutting over 10 percent of its worldwide staff, according to a memo obtained by Reuters on Monday. This decision comes as Tesla faces challenges such as declining sales and increased competition in the electric vehicle market.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, responded to this news on X by saying, “About every five years, we need to reorganize and streamline the company for the next phase of growth.”
Musk last announced job cuts in 2022, expressing concerns about the economy. Although Tesla didn’t specify the number of jobs cut in 2022, its employee count surged from about 100,000 in late 2021 to over 140,000 by late 2023, as per SEC filings.
Monday’s dismissals took immediate effect, as stated in the email sent to affected employees, according to Reuters.
Tesla’s two senior vice presidents left the company
On Monday, Tesla’s senior vice president in charge of battery development, Drew Baglino, and vice president for public policy and business development, Rohan Patel, both revealed their departure from the company on X.
Baglino was one of four leaders listed on Tesla’s investor relations website, alongside CEO Elon Musk. Musk expressed gratitude to both executives for their contributions in response to their notes on X.
Scott Acheychek, CEO of Rex Shares, which oversees ETFs heavily invested in Tesla stock, viewed the reduction in headcount as a strategic move. He highlighted Tesla’s overall year-on-year increase in headcount as evidence that the company is still experiencing growth.
However, Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, considered the departure of senior executives as the more significant negative signal on that day. He suggested it indicated potential challenges to Tesla’s growth trajectory.
Tesla shares dropped along with other EV manufacturers
On Monday, Tesla’s shares dropped by 2.6 percent during midday trading. Similarly, other electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers such as Rivian Automotive, Lucid Group, and VinFast Auto also experienced declines ranging from 2 percent to 7.4 percent.
In a memo sent to all staff, Musk emphasized the importance of scrutinizing every aspect of the company to cut costs and enhance productivity as they prepare for the next phase of growth. As a result, Tesla made the tough decision to reduce its global headcount by more than 10 percent.
Reuters obtained an email sent to at least three U.S. employees, informing them of their immediate dismissal. Tesla has not yet responded to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
Following an exclusive Reuters report on April 5th, Tesla’s layoffs occurred. The report revealed the cancellation of a highly anticipated affordable car, the Model 2, which was expected to cost $25,000. Investors had expected this car to boost mass-market growth with Musk previously announcing production to begin in late 2025.
Shortly after the report, Musk posted “Reuters is lying” on his social media platform X without providing specific details on the alleged inaccuracies. Since then, Musk has remained silent on the topic, leading investors and analysts to speculate about the car’s future, as reported by Reuters.
World’s top cosmologists to meet in London and scrutinize the existing model of the universe. Credit: ArchesNPS. CC BY 1.0/flickr
Some of the world’s leading cosmologists are set to convene at London’s Royal Society this week to re-examine the basic model of the universe, which was formulated in 1922 and held that the universe is a vast, even expanse with no notable features.
The concept that everything looks the same everywhere is a fundamental pillar of the standard model of cosmology, which aims to explain the Big Bang and how the universe has evolved in the 13.7bn years since.
However, this week, a gathering of some of the world’s leading cosmologists will take place at London’s Royal Society to scrutinize this original model and draw conclusions about its accuracy.
The meeting follows several high-profile astronomical observations which have challenged the conventional view, according to Professor Subir Sarkar, a cosmologist at the University of Oxford and co-organizer of the meeting, as reported by the Guardian.
“We are, in cosmology, using a model that was first formulated in 1922,” he said. “We have great data, but the theoretical basis is past its sell-by date. More and more people are saying the same thing and these are respected astronomers.”
The meeting will bring together several of the cosmologists responsible for the recent anomalous findings, which include observations that suggest the universe is expanding faster in some areas than others, hints at megastructures in the night sky, and evidence of cosmic flows. The latter being enormous celestial rivers of material on a scale that can not be accommodated within conventional theories.
Cosmologists Responsible for the Anomalous Findings in the Universe
Dr Nathan Secrest, of the US Naval Observatory and a collaborator with Sarkar, will be presenting findings that explore the hypothesis of whether the universe may be slightly lopsided. After examining a catalog of more than one million quasars (luminous galactic cores), his research team discovered that one hemisphere of the sky seemed to house roughly 0.5 percent more sources than the other.
Spiral Galaxy NGC 4319 and Quasar Markarian 205. Credit: NASA Hubble. CC BY 2.0/flickr
According to Sarkar, if this was confirmed, it would rewrite the basis of dark energy, which is supposed to be the primary component of the universe. “It would mean that two-thirds of the universe has just disappeared,” Sarkar told the Guardian.
Dr Konstantinos Migkas, of Leiden University, will share findings that the Hubble constant – the speed at which the universe is expanding – seems to differ across space. “Our results add another problematic piece to the puzzle,” Migkas said. At a local scale, at least, this suggests that observations do not match predictions of the standard model. “We can’t extrapolate that it’s wrong over the full universe,” he told the Guardian.
PhD student Alexia Lopez, a cosmologist at the University of Central Lancashire, has discovered what seem to be cosmic megastructures in the universe, named Big Ring and Giant Arc. These shapes, traced out by galaxies and galaxy clusters, occur on a scale beyond which the universe should be smooth and effectively featureless.
Elon Musk took to social media to comment on Greece’s demographic troubles. Credit: Daniel Oberhaus / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Elon Musk has shared and commented on an X post talking about Greece’s looming “population collapse”, a scenario predicted for the country after it has seen a rise in sudden and unexpected deaths, alongside a drop in fertility rates.
Elon Musk Comments on Greece’s Demographic Crisis
“Greece is one of dozens of countries experiencing population collapse due to low birth rates,” Elon Musk wrote in accompaniment to his retweeting of a news item stating that “population collapse” is looming in Greece amid the demography changes in the country.
Greece is one of dozens of countries experiencing population collapse due to low birth rates https://t.co/2qFA087SLJ
Greece’s fertility rate is one of the lowest in Europe, and the government is planning in May to unveil new policies to boost birth rates, such as cash benefits for families, affordable housing for young people, financial incentives for assisted reproduction, and incorporating migrants into the workforce, as reported by the Guardian.
The full size and cost of the measures are unclear at present. “If I were to tell you that any given minister at any given ministry…can reverse the trend, it would be a lie,” Sofia Zacharaki, Greece’s minister for social cohesion and family affairs, told the Guardian, adding, “We need to keep trying.”
In 2010, Greece recorded 114,766 births compared to 109,084 deaths. However, over the course of a decade, the numbers have shifted dramatically. In 2020, Greece reported only 84,717 births but a staggering 131,084 deaths. This trend has led to a significant population decline.
The reproduction rate in Greece is now one of the lowest in the world, standing at 1.3 children per woman. This is well below the stability limit of 2.1 children per woman. These startling statistics were highlighted by Professor Nektarios Miltiadis, the head of the research group working on “healthy and active aging in Greece” at the University of Piraeus.
He spoke at an event organized by the Medical Association of Thessaloniki within the framework of the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair late last year. In his speech, Miltiadis stressed the importance of addressing the consequences of Greece’s demographic crisis.
Possible solutions for Greece’s Demographic Problem
To combat Greece’s demographic crisis, Miltiadis suggested increasing the employment of working women, young people under the age of twenty-five, and even pensioners. He argued that older individuals should be encouraged to work if they are capable, as the shrinking workforce poses economic challenges.
Miltiadis also pointed out that the issue of an aging population is not unique to Greece but affects both Western and developing countries. Advances in medicine, improved living conditions, and healthier eating habits have contributed to increased life expectancy. It does, however, present challenges, as societies now face an aging population with a declining birth rate, as seen in Greece’s demographic crisis.
Mar Mari Emmanuel, an Orthodox leader, was stabbed outside the church in Sydney. Credit: Ghareebota. CC BY 4.0/flickr
An ultra-conservative Orthodox Christian leader and several of his followers were stabbed at a church in western Sydney. This brought about a huge gathering outside the holy building, as hundreds of enraged people clashed with police.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed along with some of his worshippers during a service at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on Monday night. The disturbing scene was captured on a livestream of the service. It appeared to show the priest being stabbed six times.
More footage then emerged of the alleged assailant being caught inside the church. An enraged crowd and a heavy police presence started to grow outside. Police were called, and one man was arrested over the attack and is reportedly helping with police inquiries.
Four people were wounded in the attack, but police say no one suffered life-threatening injuries, and victims were seen to by paramedics before being taken to a nearby hospital.
Who is the Orthodox church leader Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, who was stabbed?
Mari is a well-known figurehead of an ultra-conservative sect of the Assyrian Orthodox. He became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic for being critical of lockdowns and vaccines.
He often livestreams his services on YouTube and other social platforms where he has hundreds of thousands of followers. The preacher has attracted controversy for his appeal to radical Christians and his anti-LGBTQ sermons.
Other widely-watched livestreams of Mari’s feature strong views about US and Russian politics, alongside his claim that Satan founded the United Nations. Speaking on President Joe Biden’s US election win in one of his sermons uploaded to TikTok, Mari said “100 percent it was rigged by the secret societies.”
According to Christ The Good Shepherd Church’s website, Mari went around the globe with his bible teachings, including to Arizona in the US in December. His pastoral message on the website states, “In our time and age, we believe the most important and fundamental insight is coming into the truth. The world bombards the human race with so much information, quite often we lose our orientation in discerning the lie from the truth.”
On top of hosting Mari’s sermons, the church in Wakeley hosts both English and Assyrian bible studies, Divine Liturgy services, and youth ministries.
What happened after the stabbing?
Hundreds of police officers arrived on the scene to control the growing crowds, holding up shields to fend off rioters as helicopters swarmed above. As the unrest surged, there was a large standoff between police and protesters, some of whom threw objects across the intersection.
Police cautioned the public to stay away from the area as they worked to restore order after the stabbing, and at the height of the disturbance, Liverpool Hospital’s emergency department was closed to members of the public as a precaution.
The standoff between Iran and Israel poses a range of geopolitical threats to Greece. Credit: IDF Spokeperson’s Unit / Public Domain / Student News Agency / CC BY 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
The increasingly tense standoff between Iran and Israel, which now threatens to escalate into open conflict, poses several distinct challenges for Greece.
Given Greece’s geostrategically important position at the maritime crossroads between Asia, Africa, and Europe, any wider conflagration in the Middle East could easily spill over into the Eastern Mediterranean.
Having intercepted most of the drones and missiles launched against Israel, the world is now anxiously awaiting the Israeli government’s response. Although the likelihood of a full-blown conflict remains low, there is a distinct possibility that escalation and miscalculations could worsen the situation.
Greece’s response to Iran’s attack against Israel
The geostrategic rivalry between Israel and Iran is decades old, but the attack on Saturday evening was the first time that Iran directly struck Israeli soil. According to the Israeli military, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel, but the vast majority of these were intercepted.
Approximately 99 percent of the drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles were intercepted, said Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman. Nevertheless, at least nine countries were involved either in the act of assisting Israel’s interception efforts or as launch pads for the attack, demonstrating the potential for any escalation between Iran and Israel to engulf the wider region in a broader crisis.
The government of Greece responded to Iran’s attack against Israel with a strong condemnation, stating that the drone and missile strike was a “significant escalation.”
“These are extremely unpleasant and very disturbing developments that are sparking a new conflagration in our wider neighborhood and of course in the Middle East,” commented Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“I want to start with the clear and unequivocal condemnation of the Greek Government and me personally against Iran’s attack on Israel,” he added in a message on Facebook.
I strongly condemn the attacks launched by Iran against Israel. Αny escalation is a threat to regional stability and security. We stand with Israel and urge all sides to show restraint.
In recent years, bilateral relations between Greece and Israel have grown stronger. The two countries, together with the Republic of Cyprus, have increased their levels of cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean with a particular emphasis on energy and security.
Last year, representatives from the three countries met to finalize an energy deal, including a mammoth electricity project connecting their power grids, and a potential future regional natural gas pipeline.
In the realms of defense and security, Greece and Israel have cooperated to facilitate the establishment of the International Air Force Training Centre in Kalamata and participation in the 3+1 collaboration with the US in the defense sector.
In contrast, bilateral relations between Greece and Iran have been worsening despite a long history of economic, social, and cultural ties. This is due to a combination of factors. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs singles out the vast array of international sanctions imposed against Iran as being a particularly important impediment to trade between the two countries.
Disputes concerning maritime security have also widened the fissure between Athens and Tehran. Both countries have accused each other of “piracy” following seizures of Greek and Iranian-flagged ships.
Threats to maritime trade
One area of immediate concern for Greece will be maritime trade. According to the International Trade Administration, “Greek shipowners control more than one-fifth of the world’s entire fleet” and the “Greek-owned fleet represents 59% of the total EU-controlled fleet.”
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has already affected seaborne trade. Most notably, the Red Sea crisis commenced on October 19, 2023, triggered by the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen launching missiles and armed drones at Israel, demanding an immediate halt to the invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The subsequent instability has impacted trade volume. According to one source, the container terminal at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, experienced a 12.7 percent decline in activity in January compared to the previous year.
Greece has taken a leading role in efforts to curb growing insecurity in the region. The European Union´s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation Aspides is now headquartered in Larissa. Additionally, Greece’s Hydra (MEKO 200 HN)-class frigate is participating in the operation to thwart Houthi attacks against trade vessels passing through the Red Sea.
However, the Iran-backed group may increase the intensity of its attacks against international shipping now that tensions between Iran and Israel have worsened.
Shipping lanes in the Mediterranean also face a heightened risk. In December last year, Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, claimed that access to the Mediterranean Sea could be shut down if the US and its allies continued to support Israeli military operations in Gaza.
“They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, [the Strait of] Gibraltar and other waterways,” he reportedly said.
Iran does not have direct access to the Mediterranean, but it does provide funding and military support for various proxy groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and several militias in Syria. Given the limited maritime assets possessed by these groups, they would be unable to significantly restrict maritime trade, but they could cause disruption by targeting vessels or offshore assets with drones and rockets.
🇬🇷HS HYDRA is providing close protection to merchant vessels in transit in Bab Al Mandeb strait. @EUNAVFORASPIDES contributes to increase maritime situational awareness and safeguard freedom of navigation along sea lines of communication in the region.@eu_eeas@NavyGrpic.twitter.com/WoZwkGUmsT
Socrates brought back to life tells his story. Credit: Equator AI
Ancient Greek scientists and philosophers are brought back to life and tell their stories in this captivating video produced through Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Equator AI created the video using the latest artificial intelligence technology to bring these great thinkers to life and have them tell their life stories in their own words.
With the help of virtual reality and AI, we are able to step into their world and learn about their fascinating achievements and insights.
From Herodotus to Plato, ancient Greek scientists and philosophers tell their story
In the video, we hear from Herodotus, a historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus, part of the Persian Empire, and later a citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria (Italy).
He is known for having written the Histories – a detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars. Herodotus was the first writer to perform a systematic investigation of historical events. He is referred to as “The Father of History”, a title conferred on him by the ancient Roman orator Cicero.
Greek mathematician Thales, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor, tells us his story. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition, and he is otherwise historically recognized as the first individual known to have entertained and engaged in scientific philosophy. He is often referred to as the Father of Science.
Homer follows. He is credited as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the most revered and influential authors in history.
The Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens, Demosthenes, stated “I am known for my fiery speeches and strong opposition to the expansion of Macedonian power led by King Philip the Second.” His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC.
“I was a student of Plato and later became the tutor of Alexander the Great,” Aristotle says as he introduces himself. His writings cover a broad range of subjects including physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, drama, music, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics, meteorology, geology, and government.
Socrates, who follows, says he lived a simple life rejecting material possessions. “Unfortunately I was sentenced to death for my ideas and teaching. But my legacy lived on through by students, particularly Plato,” the Athenian philosopher says.
Naturally his disciple Plato follows. Plato founded the Academy, a philosophical school where he taught philosophical doctrines that would later become known as Platonism.
Plato was an innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms in philosophy. He raised problems for what later became all the major areas of both theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy. His most famous contribution is the Theory of Forms, where he presents a solution to the problem of universals.
Finally there is Chrysippus, a Greco-Phoenician Stoic philosopher. He was a native of Soli, Cilicia, but, as a young man, moved to Athens where he became a pupil of the Stoic philosopher Cleanthes. When Cleanthes died, around 230 BC, Chrysippus became the third head of the Stoic school.
A prolific writer, Chrysippus expanded the fundamental doctrines of Cleanthes’ mentor Zeno of Citium, the founder and first head of the school, which earned him the title of the Second Founder of Stoicism.
Stefanos Kasselakis was an honorary guest at the Greek parade of New York. Credit: AMNA
Main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis, in a social media post on Monday from New York, expressed his gratitude to the thousands of members and friends of the party that voted in the election to select the party’s candidates in the upcoming European Parliament elections on June 9.
“In New York, at the big parade for the anniversary of 25th March, which each year is a major event for the Diaspora. Together with thousands of other Greeks abroad. Those who make us proud, keeping the Greek flag high, away from their country,” Kasselakis said.
“Those with whom we will work so that they and their children can return to Greece, not as ‘imported’ but as equal Greeks,” he added.
“From New York, I would like to send a big ‘thank you’ to the more than 63,000 members and friends of SYRIZA that participated yesterday in an unprecedented process for the Greek political system, in which they themselves shaped our party’s Euroballot with their vote.
Kasselakis chats with football star George Karlaftis, who was the Grand Marshall of the parade. Photo supplied
“I confess that I had not expected so massive a participation but I had hoped for it. I thank you for being here so that we can change the future together. Because we deserve a better life,” he said.
The 35 candidates on SYRIZA-PA’s European elections ballot will be unveiled on Monday.
In February Kasselakis announced that the party members and friends will nominate the candidates for the election through a vote. It would be a “small revolution” for SYRIZA, “because the candidate MEPs will be decided by society and not by the closed party offices,” he said at the time.
He said that this process allowed anyone who so desires to become “part of the great battle of European Progress against European conservatism”.
SYRIZA’s Kasselakis promises to stand for Greeks abroad
Earlier, Kasselakis spoke at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York, where he was attending celebrations by the Greek-American community to mark the March 25th Greek Independence Day holiday.
The Orthodox Christian Leader of Greece’s progressive coalition party, Stefanos Kasselakis @skasselakis, declaring the Symbol of Faith today at the National Cathedral in New York City today. Axios! pic.twitter.com/5nKBE2mqcx
— Aristomenis Papadimitriou (@arist0men1s) April 15, 2024
“This holiday of the Revolution reminds all of us in public life exactly why we are fighting. We are fighting to honour the struggles of those who bring us freedom,” Kasselakis said.
He promised that the main opposition party will stand at the side of Greeks abroad, so they felt equal and emphasized the importance of the Cyprus issue, which he said was “at the heart of Hellenism.”
The leader of SYRIZA poses for a selfie with Greek Americans in New York. Photo supplied
SYRIZA has a “clear position” on the Cyprus issue, he added, believing that it must be a “key pillar in Greek-Turkish and EU-Turkish relations”.
“We might today be celebrating the first steps that gave peace, love and pride to Greece but at the same time a fire is raging in the Middle East, with civilians losing their lives and no end in sight,” he added, expressing hopes for peace in the world, peace in the Middle East and an immediate ceasefire.
At the 2024 Food Expo in Athens, hundreds of Greek olive oil company representatives joined other food and drink professionals to exhibit products and connect with buyers.
They also talked with Greek Liquid Gold about the Expo’s usefulness, their companies’ innovations, and the challenging crop year, with high prices and growing evidence of global warming.
By Lisa Radinovsky
At the Metropolitan Expo exhibition center on March 9-11, many professionals working with Greek olive oil expressed concern that the current high olive oil prices could be driving some consumers away from olive oil, and especially extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
For anyone who can afford extra virgin olive oil, those who work with it agree that it is certainly worth the money even now, especially considering its health benefits.
There seemed to be general agreement that in the past olive oil producer prices were so inappropriately low (just 2 euros per kilogram at some points) that they barely covered farmers’ costs.
High prices for Greek olive oil
However, many also suggest that the current high prices may burden both consumers (who can afford less of this healthy product) and producers (who may struggle to sell high-priced olive oil).
As Antonis Kalligiannis (Zero One) explains, now many “producers are happy with the high price, but olive oil should cost 5 to 7 euros, so it’s affordable for consumers and a good enough price for a new producer to care about his olive groves.”
With a more moderate, yet fair, price, he suggested, producers would believe it is worth putting effort into caring for groves, rather than neglecting or abandoning them because they are unprofitable.
Marianna Devetzoglou (Oleosophia) agrees: “I would prefer to have a lower but fair price. We don’t want to make olive oil a luxury; we want it to be for everybody.”
Similarly, Emmanouil Andreadakis (Critida) pointed out that if prices get any higher, “the olive oil will stay on the shelves.” Nikolas Tragakes (Hellenic Agricultural Enterprises) has noticed a “wait and see” approach among some of his company’s clients, who are purchasing reduced quantities for now.
He believes “the market will be guided from the bottom up; it’s the consumer” that determines what will happen, based on purchasing decisions. Maria Foule (Cretan Mill) is hopeful that “when prices drop, consumption will go back up, even if the prices don’t go back to” the extreme lows of the past.
Crop year of 2023-24 was challenging for most Greek producers
This year’s unusually high prices relate to supply and demand: the crop year of 2023-24 was challenging for most Greek producers, who produced a lower quantity of olive oil than usual, and in some cases struggled to achieve the desired quality.
Weather-related poor harvests significantly reduced the global olive oil supply. In certain cases, larger companies with many suppliers seemed better able to cope with the challenges than some of the small businesses whose olive oil comes from their own estate or a smaller number of farms, but results varied widely.
For example, Oleosophia’s small business owner reported that she was “happy with the quality, very happy, but I wish we had more quantity.” On the other hand, AGROVIM, one of Greece’s largest olive oil companies, collaborates with 7,000 producers and 100 olive oil mills, which enabled them to bottle their usual 10 to 12,000 metric tons of olive oil this crop year, with “super quality,” according to Eva Antonopoulou.
The effect of global warming on Greek olive oil production
Given the disappointing harvest in many parts of Greece, several shared their concern about growing evidence of the effect of global warming on olive trees, as we see worse droughts and forest fires, more extreme weather events, and unusually mild winters (which are not beneficial for olive trees, given their need for a certain amount of sustained cold).
Coming from Chalkidiki, northern Greece, where the harvest was especially unsatisfactory due to the warm temperatures this crop year, Evi Psounou Prodromou (Yanni’s Olive Grove) commented, “climate change is here, and will be here from now on.”
As Devetzoglou added, “we’re seeing that the seasons are off tune; we don’t have real winters. The olive tree is a resilient tree, but it does need time to adapt, and we should help with regenerative practices and some irrigation if possible.”
Emmanuel Vantarakis (Efkrato) is also using “biodynamic methods and regenerative agriculture to help trees be capable of coping with challenging increases in temperatures.”
Greek olive oil companies continue to innovate
Even in the face of the year’s challenges—in some cases, spurred by them—Greek olive oil companies continue to innovate.
For example, at the Food Expo Yanni’s Olive Grove introduced Vitel, a vitamin-enriched plant-based condiment composed mostly of extra virgin olive oil, to be sold in supermarkets.
A more affordable version of the extra healthy MICOIL EVOO product introduced at last year’s Expo, which is sold in pharmacies, Vitel offers a new economical option “to feed families with a high-quality product, not seed oils, if they cannot afford extra virgin olive oil,” as Prodromou said. Rich in Omega 9 fatty acids, the plain version is suitable for all kinds of cooking, while versions flavored with basil, orange, or lemon for salads and baking are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.
Credit: Greek Liquid Gold
A few aisles away at the Expo, Karpea was presenting a wide range of flavored olive oils in a product line that is “practical, simple, and healthy, in line with our fast-paced reality,” as Evita Pappa explained.
Including five unusual smoked barbecue-flavored olive oils, these “allow you to add a variety of tastes quickly,” making cooking easier. Karpea’s new bottle tops also provide “effortless pour, spotless flow,” as their logo says, to make cooking more pleasant by keeping it neat and clean.
For a fresh approach to attractive packaging, Andreadakis reported that Critida is offering dark glass bottles with gold labels featuring six different label designs for the same store shelf, so consumers can choose their favorites. At the same time, Ladolea is extending their much-admired classic line of hand-made ceramic pots with novel sea salt and oregano products packaged alongside their extra virgin olive oil in attractive boxed sets.
Optimism for the future
While many olive oil producers are concerned about the situation in the sector this year, there was also optimism at the Expo.
Efkrato’s Vantarakis was very happy to have met people interested in their sustainable, healthy products, “and it’s always a pleasure and very useful to meet colleagues with common problems everybody faces; it’s encouraging in a sense.”
Similarly, Ioanna Diamanti (Pellas Nature) appreciates the opportunity to both see international buyers and “talk with producers,” which can work like “therapy.” She also finds it inspiring “when you meet other people that are working hard and have a good outcome: you have a target or goal to reach them or surpass them.” This is “the bright side of competition.”
At the Expo, Diamanti saw “many new small producers trying to break into the market. This is good. The important thing is to be here again next year, to persist, not just dream.”
And adapt: “I have great hope for this, because I see the young people are adapting, and they accept science, support, teaching.”
One adaptable young person with a background in science, Marianna Devetzoglou, also has hope: “now the trees look promising; we’re a bit concerned because of lack of cold weather, but we are hopeful for the next harvest, hopeful that it will be better than this year.”
The article was originally published on Greek Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (greekliquidgold.com). See that site for recipes with olive oil, photos from Greece, agrotourism and food tourism suggestions, and olive oil news and information.
Mitsotakis’ pledge was made on the eve of the international “Our Ocean” Conference that will take place in Athens. Credit: Greek Reporter
Greece is pushing ahead with 21 initiatives worth 780 million euros ($830.9 million) to protect the seas and tackle coastal pollution, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday.
Mitsotakis’ pledge was made on the eve of the international “Our Ocean” Conference that will take place in Athens.
Delegates at the April 15-17 Our Ocean Conference include 12 heads of state, around 50 ministers and officials, and representatives from 120 nations and entities, including the UN, EU, and NATO.
Greece, which has thousands of islands and the longest Mediterranean coastline of any littoral state, said last week it plans to create two marine parks, one in the Ionian Sea and one in the Aegean Sea, as part of the initiatives.
“Quietly but methodically, Greece is playing a leading role in the defense against dramatic climate changes, which are proven to affect every region and every activity,” Mitsotakis said in an article published in The Kathimerini newspaper.
The Greek marine parks, whose boundaries will be defined after scientific research by early 2025, will cover 32 percent of Greece’s waters, Mitsotakis said.
The plan for a marine park in the Aegean Sea has irritated neighboring Turkey, which said last week it was not willing to accept a possible “fait accompli on geographical features whose status is disputed.” In response, Greece accused Turkey of “politicizing a purely environmental issue.”
Mitsotakis highlights our initiatives to protect seas, environment
Mitsotakis said other initiatives underway include campaigns to curb plastic pollution, setting up a monitoring system for protected marine areas because fishing practices that damage the seabed will be prohibited, and constructing charging stations at 12 ports for electric vessels.
Mitsotakis outlined a national strategy based on four pillars. The first aims to expedite the green transition so that Greece will gradually meet its electricity needs from natural sources—“60% this year and 80% in 2030. With the aim, immediately afterward, of not only being self-sufficient in clean and cheap energy but also of exporting it,” he noted.
The second pillar is the fortification of the country and the state against natural disasters with efforts underway to organize, staff, and equip civil protection services with the most modern means and the drafting of a comprehensive water management program for Thessaly.
The third pillar is order in the public and the built environment. “Indeed, arbitrariness does not only alter landscapes and deprive citizens of their rights. But it also creates additional problems, which add to the disasters,” he stressed.
The final pillar pertains to the protection of the seas. “There is no economic and social prosperity if it is not in harmony with nature and the environment. And the dominant natural element was, is and will be water. In the age of the climate crisis, therefore, we protect it,” he added.
