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The cultivation of olive groves in Andalusia currently accounts for 83% of Spanish olive oil production. Much of this economic importance is linked to the subsidies that this industry receives from the Communal Agricultural Policy (PAC). This study combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to assess the environmental problems caused by the cultivation of olive groves in Andalusia. Among the results, it can be highlighted that 11.2% of the olive groves belong to the category of very high erosion, that the irrigation of this crop does not have sufficient water resources, and that the more productive olive groves (those receiving irrigation) cause almost half of the contaminant load generated by the use of chemical nutrients in the olive groves. Finally, we stress the significant reduction in the diversity of varieties, and the fact that the Picual variety currently represents almost 60% of the total area of olive groves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]