Harvest planning: don’t procrastinate - just do it

At the AOA’s 2020 NSW Healthy Soils Field Day, AOA NSW Director Peter Herborn discussed emerging issues for the coming harvest at Hunters Dream Estate. With the 2022 harvest now only weeks away for many, the information is a timely reminder of the considerations and preparations necessary for a smooth and efficient (note we can’t guarantee ‘trouble-free’) harvest in your grove.

Make a list … and check it off

Peter’s list of harvest planning points provides a comprehensive overview of the areas you need to cover to be well prepared for the coming harvest: • What do you want to achieve - e.g. olive oil or table olives, or both? Robust or mild oil?

Single variety oil? Agrumato oil? Black or green table olives? etc. Each product will have its own processes, equipment and storage needs, and will influence the timing of your harvest; • Do you know how to estimate harvest dates and likely yields? These are crucial factors for booking contract services and ensuring adequate product storage; • Have you thought through your pest and disease control program, and noted the required chemical use withholding periods? • Is your grove well prepared and safe for harvesting? Is access readily available? • Have you thought through grove biosecurity? This is particularly important for both people and contract machinery entering your property at harvest time; • Have you contracted required harvesters/ transport/processor? Last year’s bumper harvest saw many people harvesting at less than optimal times, and some leaving fruit on trees, because of the demand on contract services; • Have you arranged fruit transport/bins/ storage? Notes as above; • Who will handle cleaning of the fruit?

If it’s you, do you have the appropriate equipment? • Are your fruit storage and transport conditions optimal? It’s important to manage ‘field heat’ and take care with the storage of your olives in bins from harvest to milling. Considerations include bin materials, bin storage, fruit depth, ventilation and shading.

And importantly, do you have contingency plans for when the inevitable happens and something goes amiss with your planned processes?

Communicate and adjust as necessary

A key point Peter made is that harvest planning is not a ‘set and forget’ process.

Circumstances will change and adjustments are almost inevitable. It is essential to keep a regular dialogue with both harvesters and processors to help anticipate and manage these changes.

Critical control points – EVOO Drawing on industry experience and scientific knowledge from the past 20+ years of production in Australia, the AOA has compiled a document setting out the critical control points in the production of EVOO, including an explanation of how to use chemical and sensory testing to identify production problem areas and develop solutions. Here's a precis of the management best practices for achieving extra virgin quality olive oil, both in the lead-up to and during harvest and production: Grove best practice: • Look after and improve your soil. Healthy soil is the foundation for healthy trees and high-quality fruit; • Implement a fertiliser program based on leaf analysis, and practice good canopy management; • Practice good grove hygiene and biosecurity awareness; • Control diseases and pests. Any pest that directly attacks the fruit must be controlled to prevent fruit decay. Some growers have also chosen to remove problematic tree varieties; • Ensure chemical residues in fruit meet market MRLs and avoid product contamination (biological, chemical and physical). Manage water quality and use new, non-APVC, food-grade plastic hoses and fittings; • A visual inspection of olives trees before harvest will identify any serious pest and disease or other fruit quality issues. Tag these trees so that they are not harvested: including the fruit risks serious product quality issues and the likely downgrading from EVOO to VOO or lampante classification. Harvest and post-harvest best practice: • Use concrete aprons around sheds to assist with hygiene management and provide a wash-down facility for machinery entering the property, including harvesters; • Harvest and transport fruit with care, protecting from pressure, high temperature and abrasion. Breakdown of the fruit initiates the fermentation and oxidation process, leading to defective oils:

» use clean and covered bins; » implement good cool chain management - avoid leaving bins in the hot sun; » be careful when stacking bins - e.g. growers have reported incidents where soil contaminated with termite treatment has fallen into and contaminated bins of fruit; » limit the depth of containers to reduce pressure on fruit; » ground fruit is second-class fruit - if used at all, it should be kept separate from tree fruit; » process as soon as possible after harvesting, optimally within 2-6 hours.

More information

AOA members can access the full Critical control points - EVOO information, and a wealth of other invaluable resources, via the Members Lounge at www.australianolives.com.au.

Identify serious pest and disease issues prior to harvest and tag affected trees so that they are not harvested, as including the fruit will reduce oil quality. Image: Vera Sergeeva.

Not a member? Find out more and apply via the Join the AOA dropdown on the AOA website, or contact Admin Manager Liz Bouzoudis at secretariat@australianolives.com.au.