Winemaker Csaba Torok, who also cultivates olives on the warm southern slopes of Hungary near Lake Balaton, he believes his trees from southern Europe have found a new home as the Europe’s climate is warming.

Torok, 55, got his first three small olive trees from Spain around 2008. Two were destroyed by frost the first winter, but one survived, prompting Torok to buy about 200 more over the years to plant in the vineyard of the Hegymagas volcanic region with sunny slopes, abundant rain and rich soil.

“I see these trees as an integral part of the future landscape here,” said Torok, as he picked the olives with friends, noting that the local microclimate is increasingly suited to the trees.

Torok transports the hand-picked olives to neighboring Slovenia, where the virgin is made olive oil and sells it for 4500 forints (11.26 euros) per 100 grams.

As southern Europe is hit by increasingly frequent droughts and heatwaves, the areas where olives can flourish appear to be moving northward, he said.

Hungary’s winters have become noticeably milder in recent years. Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world, according to the European Environment Agency last month, and faces a greater risk of drought in the south.

Spain, which normally supplies about 40% of the world’s olive oil, has had a poor olive harvest in the past two years due to heat and prolonged drought, doubling olive oil prices to record levels.

Last week, Spain’s agriculture ministry said early estimates for this year’s harvest showed a recovery, with olive production forecast in 2024-2025 at 1,262,300 tonnes, up 48% from the previous harvest.