A deep dive into the world of intensive—or super-intensive—tree crops, particularly olives and almonds with Dimitri Tsitos, co-founder of Agrosystemic, the Regenerative Agroforestry Podcast, the Arbo-Innova project and Mazi Farm. In Portugal, the sector is booming—highly profitable yet highly destructive—due to its high- input, high-output nature, with heavy reliance on fertilizers and chemicals.
This raises the question: can there be another way? That’s exactly what Dimitri and his team have been researching over the past few years—on real farms, running large-scale regenerative plots alongside conventional ones. The bad news? It’s not easy. It demands a systematic shift in machinery, protocols, and inputs. But the good news is the results are extremely promising: much higher quality olive oil, only a slight drop in production, significantly better price points, lower costs from day one, and biodiversity that bounces back remarkably fast.
It’s a booming industry that, like CAFO factory farms for animal protein, is reaching its limits in terms of public acceptance, climate risks, biodiversity loss, quality concerns, and rising input costs. But don’t despair—this is a hopeful discussion. There’s plenty of low-hanging fruit (pun intended) ready to be rolled out quickly, following an initial phase of research and development.
SUPER HIGHLY INTENSIVE TREE CROPS ARE HERE TO STAY, ESPECIALLY IN PORTUGAL, SPAIN, AND ITALY
Super-intensive tree crop systems are rapidly expanding in Southern Europe, driven by economic viability and climate resilience. Portugal’s almond and olive boom exemplifies this trend, with farmers adopting high-density, mechanized systems to maximize productivity despite ecological concerns.
“And in Portugal it happens to be where there’s a huge, one of the biggest booms in tree crops in the world is happening here. […] Even family farmers are shifting towards super intensive irrigated systems. There’s, this is a pattern we’re seeing.” Dimitri Tsitos
HIGH PROFITABILITY AND DESTRUCTIVENESS DUE TO HIGH INPUT/OUTPUT
While super-intensive systems generate significant profits through mechanization and high yields, Dimitri emphasizes their ecological toll—excessive chemical use, soil compaction, and reduced biodiversity. The economic allure clashes with long-term sustainability, creating a tension between productivity and environmental health.
“These systems yield a lot […] but they’re extremely profitable and productive and destructive because of the high input and high output. […] The problem is […] the intensity of fertilizer use, intensity of chemical use […] tract passes. You need to treat a lot. You’re entering the land many times in a very concentrated area.’’ Dimitri Tsitos
THE NEED FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Dimitri stresses the urgency of R&D to validate regenerative practices in intensive systems. The Arbo-Innova project aims to bridge knowledge gaps by trailing techniques like organic fertilization and pest monitoring, providing actionable data to reduce transition risks for farmers.
“We need to demonstrate things in practice, show things to farmers […] We created Arbo-Innova […] to develop and scale regenerative agriculture in the intensive tree crop space. […] We’re measuring parameters on plants, soil biodiversity […] to understand what’s going on.” Dimitri Tsitos
WHY DIMITRI FOCUSES ON HIGH-INTENSIVE TREE CROPS
Dimitri targets high-intensity systems due to their irreversible expansion. By integrating regenerative practices, he aims to balance profitability with ecological repair—proving that reduced chemical use and soil-friendly methods can coexist with economic success.
“Our objective is to scale regenerative agriculture in the intensive tree crop space. […] These systems are here to stay, so how do we reduce their damage? We’ve uncovered opportunities to cut costs, boost resilience, and even improve quality.” Dimitri Tsitos
OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED
Koen and Dimitri also talked about:
- Trees crops are growing in size and hectares because of labor shortages
- What are the potential practises in regen high intensive tree crop?
- It’s a very human transition
- Olive oil quality vs. production intensity
- Nutrient density in almond cultivation
LINKS:
LINKED INTERVIEWS:
- Dimitri Tsitos, Matteo Mazzola and Koen van Seijen on agroforestry, agroecology and the role of finance
- Matteo Mazzola – Walking the land of Iside Farm with a regenerative farmer
- Chuck de Liedekerke – Paying 1600 farmers to change their practices and just raised €15M
- Is Transition Finance key for every farmer? with Nicolas Verschuere of Soil Capital
- Fernando Russo – From selling Playboy’s to growing coffee, cacao, credit and lots of cows
- Bastien Sachet, how Nestlè and Ferrero are decommodifying their supply chains
- Scott Poynton – Crises drive change: stories from within the transformation of Nestlé’s palm oil value chain
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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.