Those who like a bit of the golden stuff with their salad or pizza in Spain could be asking for too much, as the country faces a nationwide olive oil shortage.
The country's third heatwave of the summer has caused this, alongside the lack of rain, which has affected the production of olive oil as the crops die out quicker in dry weather. Spain's agricultural minister Luis Planas spoke to Bloomberg News, discussing the severity of the news.
READ MORE - Spain facing nationwide ice shortage as nightclubs and restaurants fear closure
Luis said: "If there is no temperature relief or rains in the coming weeks, this year’s olive harvest could be notably lower than previous ones. The olives sector is concerned about oil production.”
He also added that there will be less distribution of the product into the UK, and continued disruption to the supply of sunflower oil from Ukraine will likely lead to issues globally, and keep the prices of vegetable oils higher than ever.
Data has already revealed that the price of refined olive oil in Jaen, in Spain's southern Andalusia region rose by 8.3 per cent in June, compared to the same month last year.
Earlier today, Glasgow Live reported that Spanish nightclubs are facing possible closure at their peak times during the summer due to a nationwide ice shortage.
Although bar, restaurant and nightclub owners are rushing to stores to stock up on ice, there is still an anxiety surrounding the news. High energy prices are being blamed for the lack of supplies, and, as a result, the price of ice bags is also increasing.
A nightclub owner in Palma has revealed to the local island newspaper, Ultima Hora, that he may need to shut down his hotspots temporarily if the ice shortage persists.
Jose Perez runs Grupo Palma Ocio, that operates two nightclubs called Templo Palma and Backstage. Jose said: "We’ve spent the last 10 days fighting to get hold of ice. If we don’t have ice we can’t sell drinks with spirits in them and if that happens, we can’t open.”
A third heatwave across Spain, coupled with high electricity prices, has caused problems across the country. Fernando Plazas, general director of Spain’s largest ice producer Procubitos Europe, said: “There is ice but less than the market needs.”
A spokesperson for Spain's biggest retailer, Mercadona, told Reuters: "The increased demand due to the high temperatures is leading to hoarding."
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