Formentera’s new olive mill, known locally as the trull, will begin transforming locally grown olives into oil on Wednesday, September 30, marking the start of the island’s first campaign at the new facility.

The installation at the Cooperativa del Camp de Formentera is intended to allow local olive producers to process their harvest on the island rather than sending the olives elsewhere for transformation.

The project, backed by the Consell de Formentera, is designed to strengthen local agricultural production and give greater value to one of the island’s traditional crops.

First campaign begins September 30

The new facility will officially begin its first oil-production campaign on September 30.

The opening represents the latest step in a project that has been under development for several years and has been repeatedly highlighted as an important piece of agricultural infrastructure for Formentera.

Until now, producers have had to transport their olives away from the island for processing.

The new trull is intended to keep that stage of production in Formentera.

Reservations open on September 28

Producers will be able to reserve their processing slots from Monday, September 28.

Appointments will need to be arranged directly with the Cooperativa del Camp de Formentera's technician.

During the initial campaign, the technician will attend producers at the trull between 9:00am and 12:00pm for the booking process.

Olives must then be delivered on the assigned day and at the assigned time.

No kilogram limit per producer

There will be no specific kilogram limit imposed on individual producers.

However, the machinery has a maximum processing capacity of 800 kilograms of olives per hour.

Producers will therefore need to organise deliveries according to the available processing schedule.

Olives cannot simply be left at the facility in advance. They must arrive at the assigned time and enter directly into the production process.

Olive quality will be checked on arrival

The olives must arrive in good condition and free of pruning residues, stones or other materials that could interfere with production or damage the machinery.

The Cooperativa's technician will inspect the olives when they are delivered.

The procedure is intended to protect both the quality of the fruit and the equipment used to transform it into oil.

Organic and conventional olives will be kept separate

Producers will also have to identify whether their olives come from certified organic or conventional production.

The corresponding certification from the CBPAE will be required.

The two types of production will be processed separately so that organic and conventional olives remain properly differentiated throughout the process.

Oil collection and packaging

Once processing is complete, producers will be able to collect their oil in the containers available at the olive mill.

The containers will be charged separately to the producer.

The finished oil will be labelled in accordance with applicable health requirements and current regulations.

Discounts during the first year

Because 2026 marks the first campaign at the new facility, the Consell de Formentera will apply subsidies to the cost of the service.

The discounts will be reflected on the final invoice for producers.

The measure is intended to make the new infrastructure more accessible to local growers during its first year of operation.

A first year to test the system

The first campaign will also serve as a practical test for how the new service operates.

The Consell and the Cooperativa expect to use the experience to evaluate the procedures, adjust the organisation where necessary and identify potential improvements for future seasons.

They have also asked producers for patience with any difficulties that may arise while the new system is being established.

Formentera produced 90 tonnes of olives in 2025

Formentera produced around 90 tonnes of olives in 2025, according to information reported by Ràdio Illa.

However, Cooperativa del Camp president Marcos Ribas expects the 2026 harvest to be lower.

He attributed the expected reduction to a combination of limited rainfall, the presence of pests and the alternating pattern of stronger and weaker olive harvests from one year to the next.

That is an expectation for the 2026 harvest rather than a final production figure.

The project has been years in the making

The new trull is the result of a project that has been progressing in stages.

In October 2022, the Consell announced a €269,000 tender for industrial machinery for olive-oil extraction. At the time, the council also described a planned 115-square-metre building behind the Cooperativa del Camp, with areas for olive washing, oil extraction, storage and packaging.

The following stages took longer than originally anticipated.

In June 2025, the Consell awarded the finalisation of the trull's integrated works and activity project to Vilor Infraestructuras SL for €442,769.25 including VAT. The project was identified as being financed with LEADER funds.

Bringing more of the production chain back to Formentera

The new infrastructure is intended to do more than simply provide a processing service.

By allowing olives to be transformed into oil on the island, the project reduces the need to transport the crop elsewhere and keeps an additional stage of the agricultural production chain within Formentera.

The Consell and the Cooperativa see this as a way to strengthen local production, support the island's primary sector and give greater value to products originating from its countryside.

Supporting Formentera’s agricultural identity

Olive growing is part of Formentera's agricultural landscape and rural heritage.

The aim of the new trull is to make it easier for local producers to make practical use of their harvest while preserving a greater connection between the island's fields and its final agricultural products.

The longer-term objective is for the facility to become a permanent service for Formentera's farmers rather than a one-off project.

Local oil production without leaving the island

For producers, the most immediate change will be logistical.

Instead of harvesting olives and then arranging for their transport off the island for processing, the transformation into oil can now take place at the Cooperativa del Camp in Formentera.

That could simplify the production process while reducing the transport involved between harvest and milling.

What producers need to know

The first campaign begins on September 30, with reservations opening two days earlier.

Producers should arrange a slot directly with the Cooperativa, deliver their olives at the assigned time and ensure the fruit is clean and suitable for processing.

They must also have the appropriate documentation identifying organic or conventional production where applicable.

With processing limited to 800 kilograms per hour, scheduling will be an important part of the first campaign.

A new chapter for Formentera’s olive harvest

The opening of the new trull marks a significant practical development for Formentera's agricultural sector.

After years of planning, construction and equipment procurement, the island will finally have its own facility for transforming locally harvested olives into oil.

The first campaign will begin on September 30, with the experience expected to provide a foundation for improving and expanding the service in future years.

For Formentera's olive growers, it means the harvest can now make its journey from tree to oil without leaving the island.