Shipping olive oil from Italy to the US for non-business purposes

I do it twice at least every year. My dealer in Assisi, Francesco Mollaioli, packs and ships olive oil and balsamic vinegar bottles or tins for me. Never been a problem.

We also receive olive oil shipped to our office every year. Of course the carriers don't want to be responsible to know the rules for all the random questions they may get. I've not heard of any regulations on that type of product (like there would be on meat or unprocessed fruits). But shipping heavy items is expensive!

the thing is that I would send the olive oil (plus some other preserved food) we make in my family business. I have never done any kind of shipping abroad. do you get those products as non-business purposes? Because otherwise the procedure is different since for business purposes you must get the Prior Notice from FDA first

We also receive olive oil shipped to our office every year. Of course the carriers don't want to be responsible to know the rules for all the random questions they may get. I've not heard of any regulations on that type of product (like there would be on meat or unprocessed fruits). But shipping heavy items is expensive!

I know it's expensive, I'm trying to make it weight around 3Kg, so I hope it will cost from 50€ to 80€. As I said it's a gift and since those are products we personally make it's not like I can find them on some online store

I just send things to my home address. Never a problem. It's for personal use or Christmas gifts.

I just send things to my home address. Never a problem. It's for personal use or Christmas gifts.

That's great, I guess I can do it then. Thanks for your help

now you say it is olive oil and other preserved food. That you as a producer want to export but since you won't charge you want the customs authorities to see it as a gift.

I think that advice here is for private individuals bringing back or importing for their own use.

I advise speaking to the appropriate authorities as your case is different.

now you say it is olive oil and other preserved food. That you as a producer want to export but since you won't charge you want the customs authorities to see it as a gift.
I think that advice here is for private individuals bringing back or importing for their own use.
I advise speaking to the appropriate authorities as your case is different.

I'm not selling those things, as I said it's a gift for a friend, I won't take any money for it. It's like buying a gift for a friend in Italy and then mailing it to the US.

Superfranky, are you sure your friend will properly value gifts that can be bought easily in the US at an Eataly or any good gourmet outlet? Quality Italian products were hard to find in the US in the 1980's, but it's not true anymore.

Mike, yeah she is a cook and all the things I will mail are produced in my countryside by my family and me and she would be more than happy to receive those gifts. I read old posts about the same topic, and people suggest to buy Italian olive oil in the US, but as I said, I think my case it's different. But thank you for your suggestion

We have done this through a Mailboxes Etc location in Rome and Assisi. No problems.

There are a few mailboxes etc locations in Napoli too.

I saw there are some Mailboxes Etc in my area, maybe I'll ask them how much they will take. I guess the cheapest option is Poste Italiane, but I will have to wrap the package and fill the documents by myself

I would NOT use Poste Italiane. We have had delayed shipments and they destroyed a box on a shipment of linens so badly that the USPS district center in Seattle had to repack it. Mailboxes, Etc., also knows what they are doing with respect to Customs in both countries.

Did anyone see the story on public TV last weekend about the new beetle/bug that is killing olive trees by the thousands in Puglia? They interviewed agronomists and farmers whose outlook is grim. Farmers said some family farms are completely wiped out and families are bankrupt. Scientists are trying to find out how to control them, and agronomists are experimenting with grafting healthy trees to dead trees, both meeting with very limited success. I would be interested to know how it is impacting olive oil availability on the ground.