Oleificio A.G.R.O. is a family farm in Surbo, near Lecce, that has been producing extra virgin olive oil and selling it directly to customers for four generations: olive growers for more than ninety years. Since 2010 it has been run by young entrepreneurs, under the motto “young for the love of tradition”, bringing new technology to the family’s roots.
The farm looks after about 40 hectares of olive groves, harvested straight from the tree, by machine and by hand. When Xylella fastidiosa struck the centuries-old olive trees of Salento, the family began to replant: in September 2019, 1,500 “Favolosa” olive trees on 3 hectares, with the first harvest in 2021, as the first step of a larger project.
In 2021 the mill’s continuous line was modernised. The oil is cold-extracted, stored under nitrogen and filtered without oxygen to keep its freshness. The farm is certified organic and works with low environmental impact: the olive pomace goes to a local biogas plant and the pits heat the company buildings. In 2014 ANBI Puglia recognised its work in respect of the environment and the identity of the territory. Next to the mill, a shop sells the oil and typical Salento products and hosts tastings and school visits.
