California Olive Oil News^©
A Publication of The Olive Oil Source  

First Press Debuts

San Rafael, CA - For the past few years there have been many requests to the Olive Oil Source website for information on building a hobby press for making olive oil from a few trees.  The device described by UC leaflet 21516 was very crude.  Many enthusiasts have described machines they have made using blenders, meat grinders and various presses normally used for grapes,fruit, etc.  With the help of industry experts, The Olive Oil Source has designed a simple and inexpensive press which can process up to 30 pounds of olives an hour.  Orders are now being taken for fall delivery.  Go to Presses for more information

Table Olive Woes: Large Orchards Switching to Oil Production?

Interview with Adin A. Hester, President, Olive Growers Council of California

Olive Oil Source: Table olive growers have been hit hard by cheap imports and some canneries will not even take olives from smaller growers.  Will these growers switch to oil production? How will this affect the California oil industry?

Mr. Hester:  Following are some of our experiences regarding imported canned and/or preserved olives and the impact on California farmers. In a nutshell, foreign fruit is destroying our food service business strictly from a pricing standpoint. Spain and Morocco sell into the U.S. at prices that are well below our cost to produce the product. Thanks to subsidies in the European Union and U.S. State Department's USAID program that spent millions in Morocco to develop their infrastructure which is now replacing California olives in the market place.

Some growers will probably divert olives from table to oil but how widespread that will be, I don't know. It would be a good alternative to selling for table but at the grower level, there is no money to be made. Prices again are regulated by foreign olive oil, some of which is extremely cheap.  The answer for many growers is to harvest trees with a bulldozer and that is happening. To date, in the Central Valley of Calif, over 600 acres of olive trees have been pushed out. Also one of our major processors has started helping growers produce table olives in Mexico. Their harvest labor is 80% below California and they have a good supply.

Basically, there are very few growers in California  who are dedicated solely to producing oil olives. The only ones I'm aware of are those who have installed their own olive oil presses and are planting a few trees for their own boutique operations. The commercial growers must depend on table olive sales to survive. The olive oil industry in California is not geared up to handle the tonnage we produce annually.

Bottom line, the olive business revolves around the market and profits. If either of these functions are out of balance, growers look to other commodity opportunities. But I must add, the entire U.S. farm scene is not bright, has not been bright in awhile and doesn't look good down the road. The only hope Calif olive growers have at the moment is the development of a mechanical olive harvester. If our current mechanical research is successful, then there will be some hope. We have to become more competitive with   foreign producers or we will be out of business. At the current rate of olive invasion from Europe, we will lose nearly all our food service business within three years. Food service includes pizza users, restaurants and other fast food operators.

Trip to Lucca

On a recent trip to Lucca in search of the perfect olive oil three of the Olive Source staff got a close look at Tuscan olive culture.  Whether driving or riding the trains, the scenery is usually rocky hills terraced with olive trees.

But they weren't the gnarled giants we were expecting. A severe freeze in 1985 killed many of the trees to the roots.  Olives aren't easily discouraged though.  New growth from the roots of each tree have been pruned into two or three trunks which are now producing nicely.  Olives have been important to the area since it was an Etruscan capital.  Bertolli and Berio, two large U.S. importers, are both based in Lucca.   Bertoli has a third of the U.S. market for olive oil and Berio almost as much.   The predominant olives were formerly Frantoio and Pendolino. Berio has recently replaced 45,000 trees with newer hybrids suitable for machine harvesting.

After the Etruscans, the Romans ruled Tuscany and built an immense amphitheater in Lucca, all of which remains is an unusual oval piazza.  In the 18th century Napoleon Bonapart   installed his sister Elisa as ruler.  One of Lucca's notable native sons was Puccini, composer of Madame Butterfly and La Boheme.  While in Lucca we had the good fortune of tasting the "nuevo olio" from the 1998 harvest.  It was prominently displayed in all the markets, usually cloudy  with lots of sediment on the bottom.  Tasting "new" oil amid the fragrances of dried fish, pig heads, cheeses, sausage and sun dried tomatoes made for a heady experience. 

Grand Aļoli Festival

Questions and Comments from the Internet:

I am a Mediterranean-wannabe, stuck in the southern part of Indiana, nurturing my Tuscan/Provence fantasies by planting a lone olive tree. Can you direct me to information or instructions on the best care and feeding of my olive tree? I have not been able to locate any information that is not directed to the commercial grower. Since I am never going to be considered a threat to the Big Olives, I just need some good, home-type advice. I am on the zone 5/6 cusp and a fairly green-thumb kinda person (I only kill ferns). Any direction/help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

I have a question regarding olive oil. I heard that olive oil is the best kind of oil only if it is served cold. Heated olive oil is actually worse than many other kinds of oil. Is it true? What kind of oil is best for cooking (such as stir fry, not salad)?

OOS replies:

July

NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show that will take place New York city from 11^th to 14^th July, 1999.

August

Grand Aioli Festival August 14  Healdsburg, CA The Sonoma Provence Exchange is hosting its Fourth Annual Grand Aļoli at Preston Vineyards from 4:30 to 7:30. 707-756-1434 sonprov@metro.net

International

July

Australian Olive Association - Third National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Show Saturday July 3, 1999  The Australian Olive Association announces its Third National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Show and invites entries from Australian extra virgin olive oil producers. Entries close on 25 June and the awards will be announced at the AOA Annual Conference in August.  For entry form visit: http://www.australianolives.com.au

August

Australian Olive Association 1999 Annual Conference and AGM Friday August 27, 1999  The Australian Olive Association 1999 National Conference and AGM will be hosted by the Peel Olive Association at Mandurah, Western Australia. To register your interest in attending, presenting a paper, exhibiting or sponsorship or for more information, please contact the conference coordinator, Shirley Goode (tel: (08) 9535 2876; fax: (08) 9582 7664)

Oleum - Jaen, Spain

October

23rd World Congress & Exhibition of the International Society for Fat Research, Oct. 3-7, 1999, Brighton Centre, Brighton, England, United Kingdom. Information: Meetings and Exhibits Department, ISF, P.O. Box 3489, Champaign, IL 61826-3489 (phone: 217-359-2344; fax: 217-351-8091).

Copyright © 1999 [The Olive Oil Source]. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 19, 2007

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