Olive Grove Economy: The Casares Cooperative
The cooperative that turned 3,200 olive trees into a viable business model for small-scale Andalusian agriculture.
By Editorial Team · Updated 06 OCT 2026
Casares olive groves managed by the cooperative
The Cooperative
The Casares Olive Cooperative — founded in 1987 by 14 families — now manages 3,200 trees across 48 hectares of rain-fed grove. Unlike the industrial olive estates of Jaén, the Casares operation is built on smallholder participation: no member owns more than 8 hectares, and decisions are made by consensus at monthly assemblies.
The Economics
The cooperative produces approximately 24,000 litres of extra-virgin olive oil per year. Revenue is split equally between a per-litre payment to members and a reinvestment fund for shared infrastructure — the mill, the bottling line, and the distribution warehouse in Estepona.
The tree does not belong to us. We belong to the tree. The cooperative just makes the accounting possible.
The Model
The Casares model is attracting attention from agricultural policymakers in Brussels as a template for small-scale viability in an industry dominated by industrial producers. The cooperative's profit margin — 22% on retail sales — exceeds the sector average of 8-12%.
“The daily record is where a place reveals its actual rhythm.”
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