Córdoba announces the XX Provincial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition

The Provincial Council of Córdoba has announced the XX Provincial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, subtitled the Córdoba Provincial Council Award, according to the announcement published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Córdoba (BOP) number 220, dated November 13, 2026, pages 16153 to 16157 (reference BOP-A-2026-3837). The resolution is signed by the president of the provincial institution, Salvador Fuentes Lopera, dated October 22, 2026. The rules govern the competition and the registration period is now open.

Objective and regulatory framework

The approved text justifies the call in the interest of “properly knowing and valuing the best extra virgin olive oils of our province” to enhance its image and encourage distribution, marketing, and consumption. The call is agreed upon through a resolution by the president, who approves the rules and orders their publication in the BOP.

The technical framework of the competition refers to the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1348/2013 of December 16, 2013, on the characteristics of olive oils and methods of analysis, supplemented by Commission Regulation 2104/2022 of July 29, 2022. Only oils that meet the chemical requirements of the extra virgin category according to these regulations will be admitted.

Requirements for olive mills

• Owners of authorized olive mills in the province of Córdoba may participate, accredited with the Agri-Food Industry Registry number of the Junta de Andalucía, which must be included in the registration form.
• Samples must come from a homogeneous batch of oil of at least 5,000 kilograms.
• Each contestant may only submit one sample.
• Collection is carried out by personnel from the Provincial Council of Córdoba: four 500-milliliter colored glass jars per deposit, hermetically sealed and without wax, with an identification label signed by the acting official and the company representative.
• Each olive mill shall also provide two commercial bottles or containers for promotional purposes.
• Applications, electronically signed by the representative of the olive mill, are addressed to the Right Honorable President and submitted exclusively through the Electronic Registry of the Provincial Council of Córdoba.

Tasting, jury, and categories

A notary assigns secret codes to all samples. Analyses are carried out at the Agri-Food Laboratory of the Junta de Andalucía in Córdoba, and all samples pass through the tasting panel of that laboratory; the six best oils in each category are then subjected to physico-chemical analysis.

Oils are divided into two groups: green fruity and ripe fruity. The assessment is based on a scale of 1 to 9 and, in the event of a tie or differences of less than ±0.10 points, the IOC Global Quality Index shall resolve it. The jury will be presided over by Andrés Lorite Lorite, first vice-president and deputy for Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Agriculture, with José Mª Penco Valenzuela as head of tasting and Antonio Jiménez Luque, head of the Department of the Provincial Agricultural Center, as secretary. Their results are final.

Awards and Deadlines

Seven distinctions will be granted:

• First, second, and third prize for the best extra virgin olive oil of green fruity variety.
• First, second, and third prize for the best extra virgin olive oil of ripe fruity variety.
• A single award for the best packaging design, which evaluates innovation, aesthetics, quality maintenance, and sustainability of the packaging.

The awards will be presented in a public ceremony. The Provincial Council of Córdoba will design and provide the medals that winners may incorporate into the packaging of the awarded oil, and IPRODECO (Provincial Institute for Economic Development) will promote the award-winning oils at sector fairs and events.

The registration period is 15 calendar days from the day following the publication of the rules in the BOP, that is, until November 28, 2026. An optional appeal for reversal may be filed against the approval and resolution agreements within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal within two months.

The competition reaches its twentieth edition at a key moment for the Córdoba olive oil sector, which finds in these types of calls a platform for commercial visibility and recognition of the quality of its oils, as well as an incentive to improve the presentation of the product in the market.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Córdoba, No. 220, November 13, 2026, Local Administration, pp. 16153-16157 (official reference: BOP-A-2026-3837).