September 2019 Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor

Growing the EVOO community

2019 September

2019 National Conference & Exhibition preview Harvest report: Tas & NZ R&D: Countering salinity Renovation pruning Australian Organic Market Report

Contents

September 2019 Issue 113 Incorporating Australian Olive Industry Journal Published by the Australian Olive Association Ltd Publisher Australian Olive Association Ltd Executive Editor Greg Seymour ceo@australianolives.com.au Managing Editor Gerri Nelligan editor@olivegrower.com.au Advertising Gerri Nelligan editor@olivegrower.com.au Production Sandra Noke production@olivegrower.com.au Subscriptions A one-year subscription (four issues) is: Aust $44 (AOA member discount rate $40), NZ $56 (ONZ member discount rate $52) and international $100. Visit www.olivebiz.com.au to subscribe.

Circulation & Advertising Enquiries editor@olivegrower.com.au Contributions Articles and other contributions are welcome and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Photographs are best received as high resolution jpg files via email, and as separate attachments not embedded.

Printing Lane Print & Post Adelaide Australian Olive Association ABN 57 072 977 489 PO Box 6661, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Australia Ph: (+61) 0478 606 145 E: secretariat@australianolives.com.au ISSN 1448-5486 Conditions The opinions expressed in Olivegrower & Processor are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated. All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher.

All material in Olivegrower & Processor is copyright © Australian Olive Association Ltd. All rights reserved.No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the published will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

News EU GI protection sought for ‘Kalamata’ AOA acts on unfair Health Star Ratings system Australian Made logo now protected in Hong Kong

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Regional round-up Two-state line up at 2019 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards Fine Food Awards ‘mini-TasteBook’ a sell-out 2019 Royal Hobart Fine Food Olive Awards Community pressing day a winner NOVA grove pruning project nears half way Olive Growing manual now easier to reference

8 9 10 10 12 14

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition AIOA Presentation Dinner - be there to celebrate the best of the best!

Sensory training steps up for potential young judges 2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - Sponsors & Exhibitors

R&D Insights – Hort Innovation

16 17 18

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Olive R&D AOA Processing workshop: efficiency by numbers Plant hormone the ‘holy grail’ for soil salinity

31 33

Pruning Wollundary Grove renovation pruning: progress report

35

Harvest report Tasmania 37 New Zealand 38

New Zealand Green light for new Focus Grove Project

42

Olive business Best Practice Transport & Shipping 2019 Organic Market Report: global demand continues to rise Free online pest reporting training

44 46 48

Olives & health Health round-up

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What’s on/Advertiser index

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Cover: Community picking days, like that held at Tasmania’s Freshfield Grove in June, are introducing a new and wider audience to fresh, locally-produced EVOO. Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 3

News

Gerri Nelligan Managing Editor

The 2019 harvest is over and from all reports the weather is doing crazy things across Australia and New Zealand. For some growers unseasonably warm weather brought bountiful oil and easy harvests, for others it combined with drought to wreak havoc on expected crops. For all it’s a wake-up call for more sustainable grove practices – particularly around water.

In this edition, we wrap up our annual harvest report with Tasmania and New Zealand, and cover more great learning and promotional activities around the states and regions in our Regional Round-Up feature.

There’s also a preview of this year’s Australian National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition, along with R&D on soil salinity and transit temperature monitoring, and news on industry representation in ‘olive politics’, the new Olives NZ grove management project and much more.

It’ll keep you busy until the Conference comes around – hope to see you in Albury!

Editor Gerri Nelligan and the OG&P team.

EU GI protection sought for ‘Kalamata’ The Federal Government is seeking the views of Australian producers and businesses on a list of new Geographical Indications (GIs) being proposed as part of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU). A public consultation process is now open, providing the opportunity for Australian farmers and businesses to input into the continuing negotiations with the EU.

Foods included

The EU has proposed a list of 172 food items whose names would be given GI protection. It includes two significant to the olive industry: #75 - Elia Kalamatas – Table olive – Greece #78 – Kalamata – Olive oil – Greece Note: In the EU, use of the underlined name is permitted, as long as it is not used in a way that may deceive or mislead consumers as to the true origin or quality of the product.

The protection

Under the proposal, the GI names would be protected against: 1. any direct or indirect commercial use of a GI name: a) for comparable products, or b) in so far as such use exploits the reputation of the GI, including when that product is used as an ingredient; 2. any misuse, imitation or evocation, even if the true origin of the product is indicated or if the protected name is translated, transcribed, transliterated or accompanied by an expression such as “style”, “type”, “method”, “as produced in”, “imitation”, “flavour”, “like” or similar, including when those products are used as an ingredient; 3. any other false or misleading indication as to the origin, nature or essential qualities of the product, on the inner or outer packaging, advertising material or documents relating to the product concerned, and the packing of the product in a container liable to convey a false impression as to its origin, including when those products are used as an ingredient; 4. any other practice liable to mislead the consumer as to the true origin of the product.

AOA action

AOA CEO Greg Seymour said the organisation has been aware of the

Producers may have to get creative with their labelling if the proposed GI protection for Kalamata is approved.

4 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

proposal for some time and has already had substantial input into the negotiation process.

“This not a new issue, although it has now gone public,” he said.

“The AOA has had previous involvement with GI negotiations in other jurisdictions, including Japan, China and New Zealand. We have already made a submission in relation to the EU-AU FTA, and we are in ongoing dialogue with both the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture (DAG) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

“Producers can be assured that the AOA is working with the Government to minimise any impact the EU-FTA might have on the olive industry, including GIs. Kalamata is the big one and we are onto it. “However, it is important for olive producers and marketers to check the full list to see if there are any specific risks to their individual businesses.

If they think they may have a problem, then please contact me to discuss. They may then want to become personally involved in the public consultation process, or I can take up the matter on their behalf with DFAT.”

Find out more

The EU’s list of proposed GIs is available on the DFAT website - www.dfat.gov.au/ aeufta/gis - along with accompanying attachments explaining more about each GI. The website also has details on lodging an objection, which need to be received by 13 November 2019.

Concerned producers can also contact AOA CEO Greg Seymour at ceo@australianolives.com.au or 0476 760 160.

News

AOA acts on unfair Health Star Ratings system The Australian Olive Association (AOA) has upped the ante in its fight against the unfair Health Star Rating system (HSRS), and is now actively engaging with governments for an exemption of edible oils to protect consumers.

Recommendation backflip The final recommendations of the HSRS Five Year Review Report were released in August and AOA CEO Greg Seymour says they ensure the system will mislead consumers on healthy oils.

“The final recommendations go against findings from the Draft Report, which outlined the shortcomings of the HSR calculator's ability to assess the true healthiness of edible oils,” he said.

“Instead, the final report recommends 'status quo' for oils, meaning naturally produced extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) will continue to be ranked with fewer stars than refined seed oils such as canola and sunflower.”

Flawed system

Seymour said the methodology for calculating HSRs for edible oils makes the system flawed.

“The fundamental thing is that this whole system is about helping consumes make healthier choices but in the edible oils category that doesn’t work – because the science has proven that EVOO is healthier than canola and sunflower oils.

“If saturated fat content is the only thing you rate the healthiness by, then it’s plainly a flawed system and not fit-for-purpose.

“We are therefore calling for a regulated exemption of edible oils from the HSRS and for government to work with industry to improve the HSR calculator so it delivers accurate information about the relative healthiness of edible oils to consumers.”

AOA action

The AOA has been an active participant in both the development of the HSR system and the five year review. In 2018 the AOA provided

two submissions on behalf of the industry and attending the formal hearings. Seymour said the final report has now necessitated a more direct and forceful stance.

“We always liaise with government but now our aim is to get the government to reject what’s been put to them by the consultants and bureaucrats.

“We’re going political and that requires a different approach and different action: our focus is now more on outcomes rather than technical inputs, and our communication is predominantly directly with politicians,” he said.

“We’ve already visited the Tasmanian Minister for Health and our agenda is to meet with all the state Ministers for Health, along with Senator Richard Colbeck who is responsible for the HSR program.

“We’ve also notified our counterparts in New Zealand so they can engage with their Health Ministers and we’re liaising with the representative bodies for oils like avocado, macadamia and walnut, which are similarly affected. The public is not being misled just on our product, which is even more proof that the system simply does not work.

“We would welcome the opportunity to work with the Government on developing a more sophisticated HSRS calculator that accounts for these types of positive attributes, to ensure the HSRS actually does what it was intended.

“Until that happens, edible oils should be exempt from the HSRS so the Government-endorsed system isn’t undermining consumer confidence in our product – and their healthy food choices.”

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Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 5

News

Australian Made logo now protected in Hong Kong The Australian Made Campaign’s famous green-and-gold kangaroo Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) logo is now a registered trademark in Hong Kong. The registration covers 10 classes encompassing a wide range of products, including soaps, toiletries, cosmetics, baby products, food and beverages.

According to Austrade, Australia exported products worth A$11,391 million to Hong Kong during the 2017-18 financial year, making it Australia’s sixth most important destination. Those local exports can now carry a legally protected registered symbol which firmly establishes products as genuinely Australian made or grown.

“Hong Kong presents a huge opportunity for Aussie makers and growers, especially with the recently signed Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement,” Australian Made Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro said.

“The formal registration of the logo in Hong Kong now provides an essential legal framework which exporters can rely upon if the logo is copied or used without proper authority.”

Building on A-HK FTA

Australia and Hong Kong signed the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (A-HKFTA) in March this year, marking a significant milestone in an already substantial trade and investment relationship.

Austrade says the Australian Made logo’s trademark status in Hong Kong builds on that achievement, “providing consumers with the reassurance they are buying a product with the clean, green, quality characteristics that

trusted Australian provenance guarantees”.

“The Australian Made logo is already being used on many products available at retail level in Hong Kong. Local consumers value Australia as a preferred country of origin for safe, green and clean products,” Hong Kong Senior Trade Commissioner Sam Guthrie said.

“Trade buyers are also approaching our Austrade team to look for products with recognisable logos of Australian authenticity. The logo effectively delivers Australia’s capabilities in premium products to consumers, which contributes to the sustainable development of Australian exports to this region.”

The AMAG logo is also registered in the USA, China, Singapore, Korea and India.

About the logo

In use for more than 30 years, the greenand-gold Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) logo is the only registered country-of-origin certification trademark

covering all genuine Australian products and produce.

The AMAG logo can only be used on products that are registered with the notfor-profit organisation Australian Made Campaign Limited.

The strict set of rules governing the logo’s use also require that it must always be used with one of five descriptors: ‘Australian Made’, ‘Australian Grown’, ‘Product of Australia’, ‘Australian Seafood’ or ‘Australian’ (for export use only). Goods must meet the criteria set out in Australian Consumer Law as well the more stringent Australian Made, Australian Grown Logo Code of Practice.

More than 2700 businesses are registered to use the AMAG logo, which is used on 20,000 products sold here and around the world.

More information: www.australianmade. com.au.

Women’s leadership scholarships now available Funding grants of up to $10,941 are currently available to women who own or work for horticulture levy-paying businesses, to support participation in a leadership development program.

The grants have been allocated as part of a joint funding arrangement between Women & Leadership Australia and Hort Innovation, and provide access to one of three practical courses.

All are part-time, designed for those already employed, and are delivered via a ‘blended’ teaching model - partly online, partly face-to-face. All three courses commence several times each year in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The grants are part of a five-year development project aimed at bringing about gender equity within Australia’s horticulture industry. Three years into the project, 28 women have graduated or are participating in the courses.

6 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Participants will network with women peers from a variety of industries, and cover such topics as reinforcing resilience and wellbeing, rewiring your networks, evolving strategic change, team dynamics and supporting leadership performance.

Expressions of Interest

Find out more and register your interest at www.wla.edu.au/ horticulture. Expressions of Interest close on 15 November and interest to date has been strong, so prompt registration is advised.

Regional Round-up

Best Table Olive of Show winner Marie Kearns of Olives From Broke with Agromillora’s Alessio Toccaceli.

Arkstone Olives’ Guy Ward (left) received the Best EVOO of Show award from John LePlastrier of the RAHS.

Ron Baker of Woodside Olives proudly accepted the Best SA EVOO award from Olives SA President Michael Johnston.

Two-state line up at 2019 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards It was a two-state line up at this year’s Royal Adelaide Olive Awards, with NSW and SA producers sharing the trophy pool exclusively.

NSW producer Arkstone Olives took top EVOO honours, awarded the NSW DPI Oil Testing Trophy & Dr Michael Burr Trophy for Best Oil of Show for its Arkstone Olives Correggiola EVOO. The same oil also took home the Cospac Trophy for Best Oil of Provenance.

It was a similar story in the table olive classes, with the Agromillora Trophy for Best Table Olive of Show awarded to fellow NSW producer Olives From Broke for its Kalamata. The same olives took home the Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Kalamata Olives.

It was all SA from there, however, with South Australian producers taking out the remaining nine of the 11 trophies on offer.

Good oils ‘amazing’

EVOO Head Judge Trudie Michels said judges identified a number of trends this year, both positive and negative.

“The good oils were amazing. They were full of complex fresh fruit characters that transferred well to the palate, and had light but creamy mouthfeel, long lingering flavours and texture and harmonious balance of bitterness, pepper and fruit,” she said.

“There was a larger number of mild and medium oils this year, with some really good mild oils.

“It was also great to see that flavoured oil producers are improving technique and quality, and being rewarded for it with medals.

“But while in many oils the aromas were good, the flavours didn’t follow through onto the palate and aftertaste and it was disappointing to see so many oils that lacked fruit, freshness and flavour. Hence a large number of non-medals were scored.

“It was also disappointing to see five oils withdrawn as defective, the key faults being fusty and musty. This was heartbreaking, as all of the hard work involved with nurturing trees and growing olives is spoiled by poor olive and oil hygiene in the grove, during processing and in storage.”

The stats

A total of 90 oil entries were received this year, slightly up on last year’s 88. There were 78 EVOO entries and 12 flavoured oils, coming from Victoria, SA and NSW, with 71% awarded a medal.

In the EVOO classes 10 Gold medals were awarded (12.8% of

8 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Major awards: • NSW DPI Oil Testing Trophy & Dr Michael Burr Trophy for Best Oil of Show - Arkstone Olives Correggiola EVOO • The Seasol Trophy for Best South Australian Oil in Show Woodside Farm • The Cospac Trophy for Best Oil of Provenance - Arkstone Olives Correggiola EVOO • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Regional Oil Rio Vista Olives il Misto • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Multi-Region Oil - Primo Estate Joseph First Run • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Flavoured Oil Romley Estate Garlic and Rosemary • The Agromillora Trophy for Best Table Olive Of Show Olives From Broke Kalamata • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Green Olives Rio Vista Olives Green Kalamata • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Kalamata Olives - Olives From Broke Kalamata • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Specialty Olives - The Australian Olive Company Connoisseur Collection Gourmet Mix Table Olives • The Olives South Australia Trophy for Best Wild Olives The Australian Olive Company Premium Koroneiki Table Olives entries), 28 Silver (35.9%) and 18 Bronze (23%); 10 oils received no medal (12.8%) and five were withdrawn (6.4%).

The Flavoured Oil classes saw three Gold, five Silver and one Bronze medals awarded from the 12 entries.

Table Olive entries were also up slightly from last year, with a total of eight exhibits across four classes. Two Gold medals were awarded, including the Best of Show-winning Kalamata, along with four Silver and one Bronze.

The awards were announced at a presentation dinner on 20 August.

For full details download the 2019 Results Catalogue from the Olives SA website www.olivessouthaustralia.org.au.

Regional Round-up

More than 50 Tasmanian food industry members attended the sensory training session held as part of the Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards post-judging lunch.

Fine Food Awards ‘mini-TasteBook’ a sell-out The Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards post-judging lunch was a value-added event this year, with guests also invited to participate in a ‘mini-TasteBook’ EVOO sensory training session. Organised by the Tasmanian Olive Council (TOC), the session was run by NSW DPI sensory scientist Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay, one of this year’s Fine Food EVOO judges.

TOC President Fiona Makowski said Soumi’s level of expertise meant the session was a ‘sell-out’.

“The event guest list included chefs, market gardeners, food producers and sellers, the new CEO of Brand Tasmania and judges in other food categories, and all were invited to attend the sensory training,” she said.

“We more than filled the numbers, and ended up with over 50 people. To have someone with nationally recognised experience is a great drawcard, and everyone was interested to hear what Soumi had to say.”

Using the TasteBook™ training process, Soumi took the group through the technique of tasting oils, then worked through five single varietal EVOOs from both Tasmania and interstate, with input from the other EVOO judges. The guests were then invited to share their experiences, and Makowski said they were keen to do so.

“We had trouble finishing on time, to be honest, because there was a lot of discussion,” she said.

“We had the opportunity to compare things like a Picual from Tasmania with a Picual from Victoria, and everybody was amazed and delighted at the varying flavours that you get from different varieties and areas, and from harvesting at different times.

“The feedback was really positive: they were really impressed by the range of flavours and also the experience of being guided through the sensory process.”

Ongoing benefit

Makowski said for many of the guests, it was both a great learning experience and the start of a new interest in the nuances of EVOO. “People were delighted to have been asked to something that was a bit different, and anyone involved in making or selling food gains a lot from the opportunity to think about sensory evaluation in a formal way,” she said.

“The fact we were able to attract such a wide group of people with such a high level of clout in the Tasmanian industry was really valuable, and if we want to invite them to other industry events we’ll get a positive response because they really enjoyed it. Some have

already said they want to know more and would love to come to the TasteBook™ workshop in November.

“I’ve no doubt it will feed out into increased interest in EVOO varietals and regions.”

More information: www.tasmanianolives.com.au.

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Contact Peter Birch 0428 669 157 peterbirch00@bigpond.com Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 9

Regional Round-up

Community pressing day a winner The grins said it all as Waterloo Olives’ Kathy and Mark Norris took in their double Champion Olive Oil win.

2019 Royal Hobart Fine Food Olive Awards The July lunch also saw the announcement of this year’s Royal Hobart Fine Food Award winners, including the Olive Oil classes for EVOO and flavoured oils.

First time entrants Kathy and Mark Norris of Waterloo Olives literally swept the floor, taking not just the top honours for Champion Olive Oil but also the Reserve Champion award for a separate entry, both under their Ten Steps brand. Those awards added to their medal count of two Bronze in the Boutique EVOO Mild Class and two Gold in the Boutique EVOO Robust Class – a clean sweep across all of their entries.

The Norris’ Champion Olive Oil then went on to win the ultimate accolade, named 2019 Fine Food Awards Grand Champion for the Best Product across all 18 food categories at the Awards Dinner on 17 August.

Other high achieving producers included Kyneton Olive Oil (Vic) with 3 Gold, 2 Silver and a Bronze; Lauriston Grove (Tas) with 3 Gold; and Maluka Estate (Vic) with 4 Silver and a Bronze.

TOC President Fiona Makowski didn’t have to leave home for her other recent industry ‘outreach’ project, a Community Olive Pressing Day held at her own Freshfield Grove property.

Held on Sunday, 30 June, the event invited locals to bring their olives along and contribute to making “a totally unique Tasmanian Community Olive Oil”. Those who didn’t have their own fruit could contribute by picking from Freshfield’s trees for the blend.

The result was, Makowski, said “Just awesome”.

“150 people came, we pressed 481kg of olives brought from outside and people picked another 164kg here. And I’m still blown away by how excited everyone was,” she said.

“I spent three hours just walking in

Stand-out stats

A total of 61 oils were entered across 13 classes, including four classes for flavoured oils, from producers across Tasmania (41 entries) and Victoria (20 entries). Medals were awarded to 51 entries - 14 Gold, 24 Silver and 13 Bronze.

After a year championed by mild oils, it seems the 2019 harvest has leaned more towards high-quality robust oils, with eight of the 10 EVOO Gold medals awarded in Robust classes – five in Boutique, one in Commercial and two in Single Estate.

Quality was also notably high in the flavoured oil classes this year, with four Gold medals awarded out of the 11 entries.

Download the full 2019 Results document at www.hobartshowground.com.au.

The day was a true community event, with local food and drink vans also taking part. Photos courtesy ourcoalvalley.com.

10 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

continuous circles around the press talking to people about what was going on – and at one stage there was a queue of 20 standing outside the door in the rain, waiting their turn. They all really wanted to be part of the process and thought it was amazing.

“Then I looked outside and there were 50 people in the grove picking and chatting, from kids to grannies, all having a wonderful time.”

Community clout

While Makowski spear-headed the concept, she said the event’s success was due to it being “a true local community event”.

“I couldn't have done it without lots of help, including from ourcoalvalley.com and Eat Well Tasmania! A friend of mine with a

Regional Round-up

It was a truly community-spirited exercise and all my family (9 of us, 5 to 70 years-old) thoroughly enjoyed the picking-pressing day. vineyard brought his wine caravan, and we had local coffee and food vans, so it was a local collaboration in every sense,” she said.

“We ticketed it so we could plan for numbers and sold out well in advance. It was really worthwhile for the food and drink people too, and everyone is really keen to be involved again next year.

“I’m definitely planning to do it again, and probably over two days given the enthusiasm.”

Take-home message

It won’t take a year to engage people with EVOO again, though, as all attendees are getting their own share of the community blend.

“I’ve filtered and packed it all, in bottles and bag-in-box, and people are collecting it from the farm or at the farmgate market,” Makowski said.

“The cost of that was factored into the ticket price, which was $10 including a bottle of oil to take home. If they brought olives then that included the first volume of olive pressing, and a family of any size was just $10 to ensure it was really affordable.

Tasmanian olive oil isn’t cheap and for some it’s difficult to justify the price, so this was a way I could give something back to my community.

“I also had some oil out for tasting on the day, giving people the opportunity to try oils pressed at different times, and they were impressed with the different flavours and intensities.

“It’s all about getting people to think about what they’re eating and what the differences are, and this certainly got them thinking about the quality of locally-produced EVOO.

“I think they’ll be even more interested now too, as I entered three oils in the Fine Food Awards, including the community oil, and they were all awarded Silver medals.

“All of my community growers are very excited about that.”

More information: www.freshfieldgrove.com.au.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 11

Regional Round-up

BEFORE Pruning expert Peter Cox gave attendees a practical demonstration before they started, transforming this overgrown tree (left) into a clean, open shape suitable for hand-harvesting.

AFTER

NOVA grove pruning project nears half way It was a cold, wet Sunday morning but a keen bunch of volunteers turned up with tools and enthusiasm in hand for the second Olives SA pruning day at the NOVA (National Olive Variety Assessment) research site.

The July working bee was part of the ongoing project to rejuvenate the grove at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy campus, being undertaken by Olives SA in conjunction with the University. The project aims to resurrect the national collection as a working resource for varietal research and development, with potential for additional use as a horticultural training facility.

Upskilling

Rather than just a work-fest, however, the day provided attendees with the opportunity to hone their pruning and shaping skills under the expert guidance of Peter Cox – and for several very new growers, an introduction to the task.

One of South Australia’s most experienced grove managers, Cox was involved in the establishment of the NOVA grove in the late 1990s. He therefore has an extensive knowledge of the site and a strong desire to see the important national resource utilised once again.

Pruning 101

Cox started with a brief overview of pruning theory and technique, then moved on to a practical demonstration with his chainsaw. He explained his decisions as he worked his way through two adjacent trees, pruning one for shaker harvesting and the other for manual/ hand-held harvesting.

Group members then had a chance to clarify any questions before they spread out to tackle the overgrown and heavily suckered trees,

12 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Satisfied pruners (from left) Michael Johnston, Gerri Nelligan and Ron Baker surveying the day’s 180-tree effort.

with Cox moving among them to guide their work and answer further queries as they arose.

Industry welcome

For new grove owners Craig and Myrna Burdon the day was a great introduction to both pruning and the local olive industry. They were literally in the process of moving to their new Fleurieu Peninsula property, with 3500 olive trees on 14 hectares, and said it was well worth both the time and effort to attend.

“We’ve come to olives from almonds so it was important that we get a handle on the differences in grove maintenance practices,” Craig said.

“But we actually found that olive pruning techniques have a similarity to almonds: you open the tree up to allow more light in to get a better crop, and if you treat them harshly they’ll come back with vigour.

“It was a bit of reassurance that we didn’t have too much to learn but we picked up more specific technique as well. We also learned more about the way olives grow, and that different people prefer different pruning tools – although chainsaws seemed the best for a big job like the NOVA grove.

“We thought it was a really good event: all the people were really friendly and willing to swap information, and we felt really welcome.

We learned a lot in one morning and I’d definitely recommend it to others.”

Regional Round-up

Group members had a chance to ask questions before they spread out to tackle the trees.

High achievers

Olives SA president Michael Johnston said they were impressed with both the turn-out on the day and the results achieved.

“While some of the group were old-timers at pruning, a number had done very little and were unsure of their decisions at first,” he said.

“But after a few practice trees and a bit of help from Peter, it was great to see people gaining confidence in their skills and being comfortable to do it by themselves.

“Once that happened we moved pretty quickly through the grove and by the time we stopped for lunch, we had more than 160 trees pruned and de-suckered. The late-stayers then finished a couple more

rows off after lunch and we ended up with around 180 done – an incredible effort for about a dozen people.

“Added to those done in March, it means we’re almost half-way through the clean-up of the entire grove. We’re keen to keep the momentum going, so we’ll hold another pruning day in spring, most likely in early-mid November.”

The Olives SA NOVA working bees are open to all – just BYO lunch, tools and enthusiasm. Anyone interested in taking part in the November pruning day can contact Michael Johnston on 0419 815 839 for more information or to register your attendance.

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IOC Accredited Chemistry Laboratory AOCS Approved Chemist

AOA Code of Practice n Free fatty acids, peroxide value, UV absorption and sensory analysis

Oil Testing Service Locked Bag 700 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

For more information contact 1800 675 623 or 02 6938 1957 wagga.csu@dpi.nsw.gov.au

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au For the IOC and AOCS Period of Recognition, please refer to the website

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 13

News

Olive Growing manual now easier to reference Considered by many as the ‘Bible’ on growing and caring for olive trees, the Olive Growing manual is now more user-friendly and accessible thanks to the creation of a Table of Contents.

Translated from the updated fifth edition of the Spanish publication El Cultivo Del Olivo, the English language Olive Growing was developed by the Rural Industries Research Development Corporation (RIRDC) and the Australian Olive Association (AOA). The 756-page technical manual is the definitive reference source for growers, processors, technical experts, students and anyone with an interest in growing this ancient tree - but to date has been a little difficult to navigate through.

“It’s a fantastic reference but one of the things we’ve picked up over time is that it doesn’t have a Table of Contents,” AOA CEO Greg Seymour said.

“It’s a big book, so that’s made it a little time-consuming to hone in on a particular topic, or find exactly the information you’re looking for.

“That’s no longer a problem, as Hunter Valley grower Stephen Mitchell has prepared a comprehensive Table of Contents which provides an easy reference by chapter, topic and page.

“We’ve made it openly available on the AOA website, so if you’ve got the book already you can download and print off the Table of Content to insert at the front of the book. And if you haven’t got it yet, you can go to the AOA website, buy the book and get the Table of Contents while you’re there.”

14 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Five copies to give away!

To celebrate the relaunch of the Olive Growing manual with its new Table of Contents, the AOA and Olivegrower & Processor have five copies to give away to readers.

To win a copy, just tell us in 100 words or less why you think industry-specific information sources like Olive Growing are invaluable references for anyone growing and working with olives.

Send your response to Editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au, including your contact details and postal address for delivery.

Entries close on 11 October, with winners notified by 15 October via email.

Get your copy

You can download the Olive Growing Table of Contents now at the AOA website www.australianolives.com.au, under the ‘Resources’ tab, where those not yet familiar with the manual can also get a free preview by downloading the preface, contents page and chapter one.

A free copy of Olive Growing is included in all new AOA memberships, and non-members can purchase the manual via the AOA’s secure online shop for $165.00 AUD plus postage (plus GST for Australian orders).

Note: as a bonus for delegates, the Olive Growing manual will also be available for purchase from the AOA booth at the 2019 National Olive Industry Conference with a 25% discount.

Put yor senses to w ok Learn how to recognise the diverse flavour, aroma and taste attributes of Australian extra virgin olive oil and table olives and what sets the award winners apart from the rest.

A series of TasteBook™ and OliveCare® national workshops to be held across Australia Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay, NSW DPI Sensory and Consumer Science Researcher and Peter McFarlane, OliveCare® administrator, are presenting a series of sensory training workshops for extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) and table olives (TO). The program includes TasteBook™ sensory training using EVOO and table olives, olive oil chemistry, freshness testing of EVOO and determining objective best before dates (BBDs) plus so much more.

The workshop will benefit olive growers and processors, olive oil judges and anyone wishing to gain a better appreciation for EVOO and table olives.

These workshops will ensure that Australian olive products are consistently of superior quality and ensure that quality message is communicated from the paddock to the plate, by enabling growers, producers and consumers to talk about their sensory experiences in a shared language they are all comfortable with.

To view the full program and to register, visit olivebiz.com.au/sensory-training-workshops

Workshop dates and venues full details to be advised soon October 2019 Saturday 12 - South Australia Saturday 27 - Hunter Valley, NSW November 2019 Saturday 2 - Tasmania Friday 15 - Toowoomba, QLD

Check the OliveBiz Events calendar at olivebiz.com.au for further information.

For more information, contact Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay on 0409 283 581 or via email soumi.paul.mukhopadhyay@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

This workshop program has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the Hort Innovation olive research and development levy, co-investment from the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the Australian Olive Association and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition

The

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL

® AIOA Presentation Dinner - be there to Olive Awards

www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia .com .au

celebrate the best of the best!

One of the most exciting elements of the annual industry Conference is the Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) Gala Presentation Dinner. A night of food, fun and festivities (along with a congratulatory glass or two!), the event celebrates the best EVOOs and table olives of the 2019 competition and provides well-deserved peer recognition for their dedicated producers.

The 2019 presentation dinner is being held on the Friday evening at the Conference venue, the Albury Entertainment Centre.

Following the plenary sessions and afternoon field visit, the “coat and tie” event is a great opportunity to ditch the steel caps and ramp the glamour up a notch or two – especially for potential major award winners, who’ll want to look their best for the official winners’ photographs!

The program

A variety of medal winning EVOOs and table olives will be on tasting with predinner drinks, before the evening kicks off with acknowledgement of the medal winners. They will have been personally notified soon after judging, to provide the maximum opportunity promote and market their award-winning oils, however all present will share the official public announcement of their Gold, Silver and/or Bronze-winning status.

This will be followed by dinner and the much anticipated presentation of the major awards – with opportunities to win increased by the introduction of Reserve Champion Awards for each entry class this year.

Along with Best in Class and Champion

trophies and medallions, they’ll herald the countdown to the coveted Best of Show awards. Always top of the ultimate wishlist, the competition’s international status now pits the best from Australia against the best of the rest of the world, dramatically increasing the prestige and marketing value of the top EVOO and table olive prizes.

Once the ‘big ones’ are announced, the official results booklet will be made available, winning producers will be invited to have official AIOA photographs taken and the entertainment – and celebrations - will begin in earnest.

THE industry “night of nights”, the AIOA Gala Presentation Dinner is a great chance to relax and catch up with old friends and new, as we recognise the hard work and achievements of our peers and the industry.

Don’t miss the chance to be a part of the fun – and hopefully take to the stage for an award (or two, three …) of your own.

AUSTRALIA

16 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

The event is subsidised by the AOA at the affordable all-inclusive price of just $80 for members or $90 for non-members, so head to the conference website and book your tickets now - www.nationaloliveconference. com.au.

Good luck to all entrants – we’ll see you at the celebrations!

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition

Sensory training steps up for potential young judges

NSW DPI sensory scientist Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay taking students from Urrbrae High through TasteBook™ training skills.

“Many students were amazed to learn that EVOO could have so many different and subtle flavour variations, and Urrbrae students were particularly interested to learn about how tasting and flavour in EVOO related to what they had been learning in their winemaking classes,” he said.

“They’re all now excited about the possibility of entering the 2019 Olive Oil Young Judges Competition and are continuing their training ready to compete.”

AOA Olive Oil Young Judges program

Now in its ninth year, the AOA Olive Oil Young Judges program sees students from

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SA high schools gain olive oil tasting skills through ongoing classroom training sessions.

They then move into the judging arena at the Royal Adelaide Show, evaluating a selection of oils from the Royal Adelaide Olive Awards.

Their scores are compared with the official judging results to find that year’s Champion Young Judge.

The competition is generously sponsored by industry provider D S Smith - Rapak, enabling the two top ranking students to then attend and take part in the annual AOA National Industry Conference & Exhibition. They also gain further experience via participation at the Australian International Olive Awards and other competitions.

Hallett said the program aims to promote olive oil appreciation and consumption, and also to help students into careers in the olive and food industries.

“By introducing them to the sensory nuances of food, we’re providing a pathway for students to move into the competition and then other industry activities, and to discover where those skills might take them,” he said.

“One of the first winners, Brooke Purdue, has moved right through that process and has now started her career as a chef, gaining an apprenticeship with a restaurant in the Clare Valley.

“Brooke credits her experiences both taking part in the competition, and as a winner, for helping her achieve this career dream.”

• Complete packaging service - just send your oil to us and we will do everything • Self fill packaging - ‘self fill’ supplies so that you can pack your own olive oil • ‘Bag-in-drum’ IBCs, drums and replacement liner bags

ag

OO

es vic er

Olive O

The AOA Olive Oil Young Judges program has taken a step up in technical learning outcomes in 2019, with the addition of sensory training sessions with NSW DPI sensory scientist Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay.

Students from five high schools across South Australian took part in the sessions, conducted as part of the olive levy-funded TasteBook™ project to increase sensory training skills across the industry and beyond.

More than 70 students and 12 staff - including one school’s principal - took part across two days in early August, gaining invaluable skills for the 2019 Olive Oil Young Judges Competition.

Program organiser Kent Hallett said the sessions moved through the basics of tasting EVOO, focusing on identifying and describing flavours and aromas, to categorisations of mild, medium and robust in relation to olive oil, and finally to the processes involved in EVOO judging. Tasting EVOOs were provided by Cobram Estate and included two new season international Gold medal winners.

“The aim was twofold: to equip the students to take part in the young judges program this year, and also to increase the knowledge base and expertise of their teachers, so they can take that back to the classroom and share the information with even more students,” Hallett said.

“It’s relevant to both home economics and agriculture courses, and works in with set curriculum goals, so has been enthusiastically embraced by the teachers.”

Hallett said feedback from the sessions has been just as enthusiastic.

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k

• All your packaging needs - from 1 litre casks up to 1000 litre bulk ‘bag-in-drum’

Mobile: Kent 0428 829 024 Mobile: Michelle 0448 965 349 PO Box 114 Riverton SA 5412 Email: oops@aussiebroadband.com.au Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 17

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - Sponsors & Exhibitors

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - Sponsors & Exhibitors 2019 National Olive Industry Trade Exhibition

Technologies change, products are improved and new services provide increased efficiencies for your grove and business. That makes the annual Olive Industry Trade Exhibition an important part of the Conference event, providing an opportunity to showcase the latest advancements in products and services.

The exhibition will this year be in an area opening onto the conference plenary space, and morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be served within the exhibition space. This will provide maximum delegate interaction with exhibitors throughout the two days and also enable discussion and demonstration to continue outside the official break times.

Advice and information from the people who know

Exhibitors and sponsors show their support of the industry through their participation in the event, and their attendance provides an unequalled opportunity to discuss your individual business needs face-to-face and one-on-one with experts in their respective fields.

Along with information on the latest industry-specific products and services, its’s a great chance to discover new ways to improve your grove and business practices.

GOLD SPONSORS

Modern Olives – Gold Sponsor, Exhibitor

Modern Olives is a leading independent analytical laboratory experienced in the olive industry since 2006. Everything we do is focused on providing outstanding service to our customers as well as being a contributor and leader in the modern olive industry. Our laboratory is available to all growers, oil traders, marketers and researchers who require their olive oils, table olives or olive derivative products tested. Throughout the entire process, from planning groves to testing oil quality, our team provides professional, olive-specific technical advice.

More information: www.modernolives.com.au Ph: 03 5272 9500 E: info@modernolives.com.au

SPONSORS

Grochem Australia – Gold Sponsor, Exhibitor Grochem Australia is a subsidiary of the Grochem Group which is a New Zealand based Company founded in 1993. The company specialises in Plant Nutrition, Insecticides, Fungicides, Herbicides, Plant Growth Regulators, Adjuvants, Biologicals, Thinning and Pheromones.

The business continues to grow rapidly driven by the needs of the horticultural industry within Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Grochem works very closely with innovative scientists and researchers to develop new and viable products that are effective and environmentally sustainable. This in turn is helping the industry meet the challenging demands of consumers and enabling crops to be grown more sustainably.

Grochem Australia’s product range has many unique label use patterns across fungicides, insecticides, adjuvants and specialty products, along with a significant and ever-expanding product development program.

Grochem’s philosophy is: We listen, we research and develop, and we deliver.

More information: www.grochem.com Ph: 1800 777 068 E: info@grochem.com.au

Hort Innovation – Sponsor, Exhibitor Hort Innovation is a not-for-profit, grower-owned company that delivers more than $100 million in research, development and marketing activities on behalf of Australian horticulture each year.

Hort Innovation’s primary function is creating value for horticulture growers and those across the horticulture supply chain. Through investment in R&D and marketing, Hort Innovation works to improve 18 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

productivity, farm gate profitability and global competitiveness of Australian horticultural industries. Hort Innovation is the link between the needs of industry, the capabilities of science, and the potential of marketing.

More information: www.horticulture.com.au

NATIONAL OLIVE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

The Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury, NSW

Thursday & Friday 17-18 October 2019

Extend your visit and attend the additional events on the 16th and 19th of October.

2018 Feedback:

Wednesday 16th (optional)

AOA Annual General Meeting, Welcome Function, Exhibition Official Opening

“Invaluable information and networking hard to put a value on it.”

Proudly supported by

Thursday 17th

Conference Plenary Sessions, Conference Dinner

Friday 18th

Conference Plenary Sessions, Field Visit, Australian International Olive Awards Presentation Gala Dinner

Saturday 19th (Optional)

Strategic sponsor AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND

&

NATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE OLIVE INDUSTRY

Optional Field Days & Workshops, Dinner

For more details, visit www.nationaloliveconference.com.au. Registrations Now Open.

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - Sponsors & Exhibitors

SPONSORS

Australian Olive Association – Sponsor, Braud Australia – Tea Break Sponsor Exhibitor The Australian Olive Association (AOA) is the prescribed industry body representing the olive industry in Australia since 1995. The AOA provides an extensive range of services to stakeholders including the operation and management of field days and other extension services. It has an experienced Board of Directors consisting of small, medium and large growers along with other Directors co-opted for their relevant experience and expertise.

More information: www.australianolives.com.au Ph: 0478 606 145 E: secretariat@australianolives.com.au

Australian Frost Fans – Tea Break Sponsor Australian Frost Fans (AFF) is the sister business to New Zealand Frost Fans, which manufactures the FrostBoss™ range of frost fans. The FrostBoss™ C49 (4-blade) is the bestselling machine in Australia and New Zealand. Designed to optimize noise reduction by using a greater blade working area and slower rotational speed than a 2-blade fan, the FrostBoss™ C49 (4-blade) and C59 (5-blade) machines provide great coverage … typically 6 to 8 hectares … whilst being the quietest and most fuel-efficient wind machines in their class.

‘Mother Nature’ is the biggest risk for Australian growers. For most situations, active protection against frost and cold injury provides compelling returns. Run your numbers through the ROI calculator at www.BossTheFrost.com.au and, if you like what you see, give us a call.

As well as supplying FrostBoss™ wind machines throughout Australia, AFF installs, services and upgrades all makes/models of wind machine.

More information: www.aussiefrostfans.com.au Ph: Ben Daking - 0448 111 384 E: info@aussiefrostfans.com.au

Destination NSW

Destination NSW is the lead government agency for the New South Wales (NSW) tourism and major events sectors. Our role is to market Sydney and NSW as one of the world’s premier tourism and major events destinations; to secure major sporting and cultural events; to work in partnership with Business Events Sydney to win major international conventions and incentive travel reward programs; to develop and deliver initiatives that will drive visitor growth throughout the State; and to achieve the NSW Government’s goal of doubling expenditure within the State’s visitor economy by 2020.

20 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

AUSTRALIA

Braud Australia was established in 1997 as a division of the Research and Development Engineers Pty Ltd Group, established in 1980. Since 1997 Braud Australia has been proud to be the Australia importer and distributor for New Holland Braud Grape and Olive Harvesters throughout the county.

Braud Australia stretches across our three South Australian locations, Gepps Cross, Summertown and Naracoorte. They are all fully equipped for all your Braud harvester needs, whether it be new or used machinery sales, the full range of genuine Braud/New Holland spare parts, or on and off-site servicing.

Various dealers have been appointed in areas distant from our own outlets Australia wide to give the best after sales support and of course local knowledge. The appointed dealers have all had existing or previous experience with the New Holland Products.

Braud Australia also offers a range of other products, implements and attachments encouraging all-year-long use of your harvesters - from pre-pruning, foliage maintenance and spraying right back through to harvest.

More information: www.braud.com.au Ph: 08 8423 1095 E: braud@braud.net.au

Olivebiz – Sponsor, Exhibitor Olivebiz.com.au is the industry-owned website dedicated to olive industry related news and products. Together with current news, it also features the Olivegrower & Processor magazine, Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) e-newsletter and the annual Olive Industry Directory, and houses Hort Innovation Olive Levy R&D information and communications.

More information: www.olivebiz.com.au Ph: 0408 525 798 E: editor@olivegrower.com.au

Olivegrower & Processor – Sponsor, Exhibitor

AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND

&

NATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE OLIVE INDUSTRY

Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor is the region’s only specialist olive publication and is the key source of communication and information for the industry. We cover every aspect of the industry, from grove management and processing to packaging and marketing, with content targeted at current topical issues. Industry-owned and led, the emphasis is on best practice management to increase quality and business viability, along with industry news, events and opportunities.

Each edition also includes Hort Innovation’s quarterly update on olive industry levy-funded projects and initiatives. Published four times per year, the magazine is mailed to subscribers across the globe and is also available online for access 24/7.

More information: www.olivebiz.com.au Ph: 0408 525 798 E: editor@olivegrower.com.au

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - Sponsors & Exhibitors

EXHIBITORS

CI Scientific CI Scientific Pty Ltd has grown to hold a significant presence in the supply of industrial and laboratory instrumentation in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands through expansion of our product portfolio and with the support of a growing team of skilled personnel.

Operating under our company’s core values of commitment, innovation, communication, excellence and ownership, we have been able to position ourselves as a company that delivers innovative solutions through our business units.

CI Scientific Pty Ltd is also an Australian proprietary company that specialises in the provision of repair, maintenance and calibration services of scientific equipment and specialised measuring instruments used in various research and industrial laboratories and testing environments.

More information: www.ciscientific.com Ph: 1300 225 542 E: info@ciscientific.com

CropLogic™

CropLogic™ is an award-winning global digital ag-tech company specialising in soil moisture management solutions.

Our vision is to be the leading provider of powerfully-simple, actionable intelligence, designed for growers to better manage water-usage and to enhance crop performance, profitability and sustainability. CropLogic™ has commercialised products leveraging 30 years of plant-performance data and analysis with over 600 field trials conducted with growers across a variety of crop and soil types.

CropLogic™ realTime along with GrowerView, a soil moisture management and decision support tool, is a software and hardware solution designed to help growers make performance-enhancing irrigation and agronomic decisions at the click of a button. Easy-to-install, reliable and effortlessly re-locatable hardware units combined with a simple-to-use and intuitive desktop dashboard and app (Android and iOS) where soil moisture data is collected 24/7 via dependable sensors and constant satellite connection, enables growers to measure, monitor and track soil moisture, soil temperature, irrigation & rain events, and evapotranspiration, all-in-the-one place.

More information: www.croplogic.com Ph: 03 5023 4958; 0447 801 156 E: sales.au@croplogic.com; cedric.geffen@croplogic.com

drumMUSTER/ChemClear® drumMUSTER is the national program for the collection and recycling of clean eligible non-returnable agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemical containers from primary producers and other agvet chemical users.

ChemClear® is the national program for the collection and destruction of currently registered agvet chemicals at the end of their life cycle, or when they become surplus.

Both drumMUSTER and ChemClear® are Industry Stewardship Programs established under the Industry Waste Reduction Scheme (IWRS).

Over 120 Chemical Manufacturers currently participate in the programs.

More information: www.drummuster.org.au; www.chemclear.org.au Ph: 1800 008 707 E: info@drummuster.org.au

Grochem Australia – refer Sponsor listings Hort Innovation - refer Sponsor listings Modern Olives - refer Sponsor listings

NSW Department of Primary Industries Oil Testing Service The NSW Department of Primary Industries operates an Oil Testing Service as part of the Australian Oils Research Laboratory, based in Wagga Wagga, NSW. We provide accredited testing services for olive oil quality, adulteration, and organoleptic (sensory) analysis, based on the latest technology and requirements of the International Olive Council (IOC).

Our chemical testing laboratory and organoleptic panel is able to undertake competitively priced testing of oils and olives with a prompt turnaround time. Your first choice for analysis you can trust.

More information: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/labs Ph: 02 6938 1957 E: TBC Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 21

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - Sponsors & Exhibitors

Olive Oil Packaging Service

We are Australia’s bag in box packaging specialists. Casks protect your olive oil from light and air and ensure that it stays as fresh as is possible.

We can pack your oil for you at our factory, or we can supply everything you need to pack it yourself. We even provide the instructions, and can help with the labels for your casks. Just contact us for a quote or to find out more.

Casks come in 1, 2, & 4 litre for home use, 10 & 20 litre for food service, and 250 & 1000 litre bag in drum IBCs. Bag in box – the modern way to package olive oil.

Ph: Kent 0428 829 024 or Michelle 0448 965 349 E: oops@aussiebroadband.com.au

Olivebiz – refer Sponsor listings Olivegrower & Processor - refer Sponsor listings

Tastebook™

Tastebook™ is a sensory training initiative in appreciating, describing and understanding how to improve the quality of EVOO and table olives. It includes tasting of olive oils and table olives, assessing their characteristics, and providing feedback on the style, quality and uses of the sample products that aims to expose industry participants to regular sensory experiences and palate calibration for olive products, and to assist in gaining an understanding of how to achieve product excellence.

More information: www.australianolives.com.au or Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay Ph: 0409 283 581 E: soumi.paul.mukhopadhyay@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Olive Wellness Institute

The Olive Wellness Institute is a science repository on the nutrition, health and wellness benefits of olives and olive products, which is all subject to extensive peer review.

The institute is guided by scientific experts that specialise in the nutrition, health and wellness benefits related to olive products.

This website is intended to be the go to source of credible information relating to the nutrition, health and wellness benefits of olives and olive products, such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil and other products derived from the olive tree.

Tornado Pumps & Sprayers Pty Ltd Tornado Pumps & Sprayers P/L specialise in supplying equipment and machinery for olive growers, from growing through to processing. We have been appointed as agents for the full range of Sicma (Italy) olive harvesters. We are Pieralisi (Italy) trained in sales, installation and service of olive processing equipment for QLD, NSW, ACT and VIC. Pieralisi is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high technology olive processing equipment. Our workshop is fully equipped for your servicing needs and spare parts are readily available.

More information: www.olivewellnessinstitute.org Ph: 0432 506 682 E: a.dolphin@olivewellnessinstitute

More information: www.tornadosprayers.com.au Ph: 02 9824 8444 E: tornado@tornadosprayers.com.au

See the updated list of exhibitors and sponsors, along with information about the products and services they offer, on the Conference website: www.nationaloliveconference.com.au 22 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

THE LATEST UPDATES ON R&D WITHIN THE OLIVE INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER 2019

R&D Insights contains the latest levy-funded R&D project updates, research findings and related industry resources, which all happen under the Hort Innovation Olive Fund.

Hort Innovation partners with leading service providers to complete a range of R&D projects to ensure the longterm sustainability and profitability of the olive industry.

Conference aims for health from the ground up 2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - 17-19 October, Albury NSW The program is out and if improving the health of your business is your aim (and whose isn’t!), this year’s AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition is the place to be.

Being held in Albury, New South Wales on 17-19 October, the 2019 Conference program takes what AOA CEO Greg Seymour describes as “a smorgasbord approach” to industry improvement.

“There’s something in there for everyone, no matter what your production level or approach to growing,” he said.

“We know that different people do things differently – and that some growing methods work better for some operations than others – so we’re providing ample opportunities to find out how things can be done,

and importantly, how we can be doing them better.

“And it won’t just be via ‘listen and learn’ presentations. Those opportunities will be presented by both the structured learning and also what you hear from other people in the industry, many of whom are dealing with issues just like you.

“Open discussion of ideas, problems and solutions is one of the most valuable elements of the annual industry conference, which is why interactive sessions are an integral part of our 2019 conference program.”

Building on the success of last year’s event, the program will be run over three days, with a full day of plenary sessions on the Thursday and also on Friday morning. Friday afternoon will

incorporate a field visit to an organic working farm and training centre, while the Saturday will once again offer a range of industry workshops and a regional field tour.

Program highlights include:

Conference sessions Best You, Better Business - how

looking after yourself can increase your effectiveness as a business owner

Remote Sensing - the limitless

opportunities presented by this new technology

Climate Change - what’s really happening?

Frost Management – how not to get burned

2 Opening The Door To Grove Retail Sales – a small business owner’s experience

Cybersecurity - keeping you and your business safe

Digital Marketing For Small

Business – getting your head around online promotion Q& A tim e at the e n d of e session ach plen provide ary s the op clarify, portunit query a y to nd confi rm.

Field Visit to TAFE NSW National Environment Centre (NEC) - a case study in sustainable grove management

Social activities: Welcome function – 5.15-7.30pm Wednesday, 16 October

Conference Dinner - Thursday, 17

Field sessions put presentation theory into practice.

October

Australian International Olive

Awards Gala Presentation Dinner Friday, 18 October

Final Dinner - Tuileries Restaurant,

Rutherglen – Saturday, 19 October

Super Saturday Workshops & More TasteBook™ Live EVOO & Olive Sensory Workshop – Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay

Facebook, Instagram and SEO Workshop – Lauren Hamilton

The Economics of Table Olives

Production From Set-Up To Sales – Linda Costa, South Africa

Olives and Wine Field Tour – various locations

Delegate feedback from the 2018 Conference & Exhibition

AOA AGM The Australian Olive Association will also hold its 2018 Annual General Meeting in conjunction with the Conference, scheduled for Wednesday 17 October from 3.30-5pm. This will be followed by a cocktail welcome function and the official Exhibition Opening, where delegates will be introduced to the exhibitors and their services.

Registration Registration is now open via the Conference website - www. nationalconference.com.au – where you can also view the full program, find information on accommodation options and local attractions, and learn about this year’s event Sponsors and the Exhibitors.

“It’s been the best conference for over a decade – and that’s been the talk of everyone who’s been going to them for years. We think ‘Wow, it’s back!’”

“We have attended a lot of conferences and can see a big difference: this conference is so robust, so interesting, and so supportive of local produce.”

“It was great to bring back the Conference dinner - the predinner drinks, the meal, the place, everything was wonderful.”

“Having Linda Costa over was just wonderful. The only thing I’d say is we could have had more of her, she could have talked more about those health benefits. Everyone’s talking about eating 10-20 olives a day now!”

Event Schedule Wednesday, 16 October – AOA AGM, followed by Cocktail Welcome Function & Exhibition Opening Thursday, 17 October – Conference, followed by Conference Dinner Friday, 18 October – Conference, followed by AIOA Presentation Dinner Saturday, 19 October – Optional Workshop and Field Visit Program

The river city of Albury offers modern conference facilities, accommodation options galore and great opportunities for recreational activities around the event.

3

Following a sell-out table olive workshop at the 2018 Conference, South African table olive expert Linda Costa is returning to explore the economics of table olive production.

Making the $$$ tally in table olive production Last year’s Conference reflected the increasing interest in table olive production among Australian growers, with packed attendances across all of the table olive sessions.

A global gathering of experts in table olive growing, production, quality and marketing were kept busy during the Q&A sessions, as delegates took the opportunity to explore the hows, how nots and whys of all things table olives.

Among the presenters was South African expert Linda Costa, whose table olive workshop during the optional Saturday program was booked to (well over) capacity.

The strong demand for the workshop has seen Costa invited to return for this year’s conference and she will again present a half-day workshop as part of the Saturday optional program.

Titled The Economics of Table Olives Production from Set-Up to Sales, the comprehensive workshop will cover all aspects of establishing and running a table olive production facility, including equipment, requirements of raw material, processing issues, storage, monitoring, packaging, labelling and

pasteurisation. And to show how worthwhile all that care and attention is, the workshop will finish with a tasting session.

Costa said she was thrilled with the enthusiastic response to the workshop, and impressed with the event overall.

“I am still savouring the great memories of the conference. I was taken aback by the amazing welcome I received and felt,” Costa said.

“There seemed to be a very good mix between orchard and product matters, as well as a good coverage of horticultural challenges, and I really enjoyed the presentations on the health aspects of olive products.

“Research is validating these claims inexorably and with the current improved awareness of the benefits of natural, healthy, unprocessed foods, I believe that olive products will gain more and more traction.”

Costa is also positive about the future for table olive production in Australia.

“In terms of opportunities for the table olive sector, the market seems to be growing in a very encouraging way,” she said.

The conference is facilitated through the project National olive industry conference and trade exhibition (OL16010), funded by Hort Innovation, using the Hort Innovation olive research and development levy, co-investment from the Australian Olive Association and contributions from the Australian Government.

Event details: Optional Program Workshop What: The Economics of Table Olives Production From Set-Up To Sales When: 8-11:30am Saturday, 19 October Who: Linda Costa, Olives in Fact Bookings: www. nationaloliveconference.com.au.

“This translates into producers having to manage larger harvests, which in turn necessitates more advanced methods of handling larger volumes of table fruit. Methinks many producers may be outgrowing their facilities - a rather pleasant situation to find yourself in!

“Good planning for any expansion, large or small, can play a substantial role in the success and efficiency of future table olive production.”

4

2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition - October 17-19, Albury NSW

Learn how to make Google love your website Digital marketing: for some it’s the yellow brick road to sales and for others it’s a stress-inducing brick wall they don’t know how to get over.

For those in the latter category, one of the guest presenters at this year’s AOA National Industry Conference will help alleviate that stress and help you turn onto the road to increased sales. Digital marketing expert Lauren Hamilton is heading to Albury with a practical, user-friendly breakdown of the opportunities available, what you need to do to make the most of them – and why some elements might not be right for you and your business.

Lauren is the creator of the Digital Narrative collective, an agency which specializes in helping small business owners punch above their weight in the digital marketing arena. A selfconfessed “small business addict”, she says her aim is to demystify and simplify both the concept and processes involved in digital marketing.

“I love working with people and helping them realise that it’s not an all-or-nothing situation, that you don’t have to do everything. Also that it’s not all really technical and difficult, and it doesn’t have to be confusing; you can get the fundamentals and apply them yourself.”

Digital marketing 101 Recognising that growers come from a wide range of backgrounds, and will have varying degrees of online interaction already, Lauren said her presentation will cover small business digital marketing generally.

“I will talk about your online presence and how to ensure you’ve done Small business specialist Lauren Hamilton is passionate about sharing her knowledge to empower others to take charge of their online presence, with confidence.

everything you can do to have a presence online that reflects who you are and lets people know what you’re about. Also where you are, so you can be found - to market your business as a destination, flag your presence at the weekly farmers market or let them know where your products are stocked,” she said.

“And your take out might be to go away and think ‘I don’t want to do that’ because it doesn’t work for you and your business. If you do that because you know how it works and what’s involved, rather than because it all just seems too hard, then that’ll be a good outcome.”

“We’ll go through the various elements of digital marketing:

Saturday workshop – devices welcome

websites - do you have one, do

you need one and what’s the best type for you

how to ensure you’re ranked by

Google so you come up early in searches

social media – what the different

platforms do and why you would want to have a presence on them.

“We’ll also discuss not doing things for the sake of doing things. For example, your audience may not be on Instagram so don’t flog yourself trying to work it out at the expense of other things which are more valuable to your business.

“Maybe pick one platform and do it really well rather than do three or four poorly. Streamline your online activity to reach your target audience and do it really well, rather than do everything possible.

Friday’s presentation will be backed up by a hands-on digital marketing workshop, being held as part of the Saturday optional program. Run in a ‘show and teach interactive’ format, Lauren said it will focus on the two major areas of social media and search engine optimisation (SEO).

“Within social media we’ll then break it down again into content and engagement: how to do gold star content and best practice engagement,” she said.

5

Event details: Conference Presentation What: Digital Marketing for Small Business When: 11.30am Friday, 18 October Who: Lauren Hamilton, Digital Narrative

“You’re not going to get there all the time but if you know what you’re aiming for you can keep on track. So we’ll look at what good content really is, and also why you have to engage and how you do that.

“SEO really means how to make Google love your website. You want to come up on page one to three of any search because no-one looks after that.

“Getting found on Google is probably more important than social media - if I was going to Mudgee on holiday and wanted to go olive oil tasting, I wouldn’t look on Facebook to find it, I’d just Google it. So it’s more critical

to your business to have those good search results than to have that social media presence.

Optional Program Workshop

“But people get bamboozled by it, and it’s generally very expensive. It’s not rocket science, though, and we’ll go through some basic stuff you can do to have the ducks in a row from the start. If you have it configured right in the first instance, you’re in with a fighting chance to turn up in the early search results.

When: 8-11:30am Saturday, 19 October

“The aim is to give people a basic understanding of what they need to do, whether they have the technical skills to do it themselves or need to get someone to do it for them.

What: Facebook, Instagram and SEO workshop

Who: Lauren Hamilton, Digital Narrative Bookings: www. nationaloliveconference.com.au.

“So please tell everyone to bring their laptops, phones or tablets to the workshop, so they can actively participate and walk away with practical knowledge that they can build-on when they get home.”

Collect your grower Event Kit at the 2019 National Conference Among the wealth of resources available in the Olive Wellness Institute website repository is an Event Kit for olive growers and processors, providing factual, userfriendly resources to take along and use at events or local farmers markets.

All downloadable for immediate use, the resources include:

a FAQ for Growers booklet,

containing evidence-based facts and answers to questions commonly asked about EVOO

leaflets on the Health Benefits of

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

posters on EVOO and Olive Leaf You can access the Event Kit on the OWI website – www. olivewellnessinstitute.org - under Resources and download it yourself or if you’re heading along to the 2019 National Olive Conference & Exhibition in October, the OWI team are happy to provide you with a hard copy while you’re there.

So they can ensure enough are on-hand, please pre-order your Event Kit by emailing a.dolphin@ olivewellnessinstitute.org and you can collect it from the Olive Wellness Institute booth in the Conference Exhibition space.

The OWI team are once again providing hard copy grower resource kits for collection at the 2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition.

6 Agri-chemical regulation The use of agri-chemicals on food crops is regulated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), and in the state of Victoria under their Control-of-Use laws. An upto-date list of chemicals approved for use on olives is available on the AOA website at: www.australianolives.com. au/chemical-permits.

Full details for all current and past permits for use on olives can also be found on the APVMA website: www. portal.apvma.gov.au. Click onto the Permit Search tool and type in ‘olives’ to view the list and download the required permit.

Grower input needed for olive agri-chemical review A number of agri-chemicals available for use by olive growers are currently under review both in Australia and overseas. Depending on the outcome of the reviews, these chemicals may be withdrawn from use.

To assist in ensuring future industry requirements are met, the Australian Olive Association (AOA) is seeking feedback from all olive growers on their use of the agri-chemicals under review. This is being done via a threepart survey, each covering a different group of agri-chemicals:

Part A - Insecticides/Miticides Part B - Fungicides Part C - Herbicides Each part is a ‘mini’ survey comprised of between six and 11 questions and should take no longer than 5-10 minutes to complete.

Please take part at your earliest convenience. Your feedback is important in ensuring both the maintenance and improvement of pest and disease control options available to olive producers.

Part A - Insecticides/Miticides Chemicals under review:

Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) - PER14575Version 2: Group 1B Insecticide/ Olives for control of Ants, African black beetle, Light brown apple moth (LBAM).

Dicofol (Farmoz Miti-Fol Ec

Miticide) - Registered Product: Group 2B Insecticide/Olives for control of Spotted mite (Red spider mite).

Regulatory issues: dietary and environmental exposure.

IPDM issues: broad spectrum contact anti-cholinesterase (ChE) enzyme insecticide – moderate to high toxicity to bees, predatory mites, ladybirds, lacewings and parasitoids.

Part B - Fungicides Chemicals under review:

Pyraclostrobin + Metiram (Aero) - PER87332: Group 11 & M3 Fungicide/Olives for control of Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)

Regulatory issues: Dithiocarbamate group nominated for APVMA review in 2021 – cumulative risks of operator exposure and dietary intake.

IPDM issues: implement a resistance management strategy.

There are several alternative Anthracnose control options also currently available.

Notes: These fungicides are also likely to have efficacy to the Fusicladium spp (Peacock spot), Pseudocerspora spp (Cercospora/Grey mould) as well as to the Colletotrichum spp (Anthracnose) fungi.

This survey also seeks feedback on the use of alternative fungicide treatments.

Part C - Herbicides Chemicals under review:

Paraquat + Diquat (Spray Seed)

– PER 85411 (Version 2): Group L Herbicide/Olives/Range of broadleaf and grass weeds (as per label)

Regulatory issues: current APVMA review. Paraquat - concerns relating to the environment, public and occupational health and safety.

Diquat - concerns relating to the environment, public and occupational health and safety, and residues.

IPDM issues: weed resistance management.

Note: This survey also seeks feedback on the use of alternative herbicide treatments.

Direct links to the three survey sections are available from the OliveBiz website - www.olivebiz.com. au. Go to Events - Calendar - AgriChemical Use Surveys.

For further information or any queries, contact OliveCare® Code of Best Practice Administrator Peter McFarlane at peter@mc.com.au or on 0418 839 836.

The Agri-Chemical Use Survey is being facilitated through the ongoing strategic investment project Olive industry minor use program (OL16000), funded by Hort Innovation using the Olive Fund research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

7

OWI keeps spreading the word on olive wellness

It’s an exciting time for the team at the Olive Wellness Institute (OWI), with two recent major announcements around the organisation’s ongoing activities.

Project extension Top of the list is the extension of the olive levy project Educating health professionals about Australian olive products (OL17002), delivered by the Olive Wellness Institute via Boundary Bend. Originally contracted for one year until April 2019, the project has been extended until February 2020 to facilitate the continuation of the Institute’s highly successful work.

Listen and learn Equally as exciting is the Institute’s new podcast series, launched on 3 September. Appropriately called Olive Wellness, the podcasts – like all of the OWI’s resources - are evidence-based, drawing on scientific knowledge from top health professionals from across the world.

The OWI’s Abby Dolphin said new podcasts will be added every two weeks, with presenters including nutritionists, dietitians, scientists, doctors and academics.

“Our first guest is Dr Joanna McMillan, one of Australia’s best-known nutrition scientists and dietitians.

A regular on television and radio, Joanna is a presenter on the ABC’s science show, Catalyst, and has a wealth of knowledge around the dietary effects of extra virgin olive oil,” she said.

“Joanna was the ideal person to start off our podcast series, where we discuss the nutritional qualities of EVOO, the research behind its health benefits and how EVOO is synonymous with the Mediterranean diet.”

You can access the podcasts via Spotify, iTunes podcasts and Google podcasts, and listen live or download them and listen at your convenience.

A new fortnightly podcast, Olive Wellness, is the latest addition to the Olive Wellness Institute’s activities, providing evidence-based information from guest health professionals.

Learn more …

There are also two more in the Olive Wellness Institute’s series of informative webinars still on offer, with the next scheduled for early October.

The interactive series continues to garner enthusiastic participation, with health professionals embracing the opportunity to learn – and ask – more about the science and practices around the health benefits of olive products.

Food is Medicine: the use of extra virgin olive oil in clinical practice will be presented on 4 October by Mary Flynn, a research dietitian at the Miriam Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown University, and will explore how EVOO can improve a number of risk factors for chronic diseases that would conventionally be treated with medicine.

The event is primarily aimed at health professionals in the USA so the scheduled time of 6am AEST makes it a pretty early start for locals. Luckily, the event will be recorded and posted on the OWI website for those not up for a dawn hook-up!

And learn even more And finally, in order to keep the information coming, the OWI team is heading to the 2nd International Yale Symposium on Olive Oil and Health in Greece this December.

Research Recap PROJECT NAME: Educating health professionals about Australian olive products (OL17002) PROJECT AIM: To increase the use of olive products in the daily lives of consumers by equipping Australian health care professionals with the knowledge they need to advise about their health benefits and uses PROJECT PARTNER: Boundary Bend Limited FUNDING: Hort Innovation Olive Fund PROJECT ENDS: February 2020.

“We’ll be accessing all of the very latest research and findings from with world experts in the field, and I’ll be sharing all the information I learn via our social media pages,” Abby said.

“There’ll no doubt be some great new evidence-based facts to share with your customers, so keep an eye on our Facebook page @olivewellnessinstitute - and Instagram page - @Olive_Wellness_ Institute - and we’ll keep you posted.”

8

Wagga Wagga attendees

Western Australia attendees

Adelaide attendees

Geelong attendees

Olive industry sensory training workshops It’s now four months since the commencement of the olive levy R&D project Australian olive industry sensory training program and interest from industry stakeholders has been keen.

Project lead Dr Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay, a Sensory and Consumer Research Scientist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, said one of the main outcomes of the project was to build confidence in product assessment skills across the industry via a nationally consistent framework of sensory training for extra virgin olive oils and table olives.

“The training is being offered to all industry members and across all fields of industry involvement – growers, producers, industry professionals and olive business owners – and from beginners throughout experience levels to competition judges,” she said.

“A series of nine sensory training workshops have been organised around the various production states in Australia, with five already completed in Adelaide, Geelong, Wagga Wagga, Mt Hawthorn, WA and Wangaratta. More than 120 participants from various sectors of the Australian olive industry have

participated to date and we expect to reach another 80-plus in the upcoming workshops.”

The program The full-day training program comprises TasteBook™ sensory training with Dr Mukhopadhyay, combined with OliveCare® Code of Practice quality information provided

by Administrator Peter McFarlane.

“The sessions complement each other, with the full program covering the sensory aspects of tasting olive oils and table olives, including identifying various positive and negative attributes, and also the more technical elements of production quality like freshness tasting and bestbefore-dates,” Dr Mukhopadhyay said.

“Peter even goes into aspects like how to read and understand a test report, along with grove best management practices and checklists.

It’s very comprehensive in terms of the elements which affect quality and how you achieve them in your production.

“The feedback from participants to date has been very positive. For more than half it was their first experience of sensory training and they said they found it both stimulating and challenging, gaining an understanding

Workshop details South Australia - Saturday, 12 October Hunter Valley, NSW – Saturday, 27 October Tasmania – Saturday, 2 November Toowoomba, Qld – Friday, 15 November Venue details will be announced in coming weeks. Check the OliveBiz Events calendar at olivebiz.com.au for further information.

and appreciation of the subtle nuances of the various sensory attributes of olive oils and table olives.

“Among elements highlighted were the presentation style, regional guest speakers, samples tasted, sensory tasting and explanations, and the open and receptive communication between and among participants and presenters. They’re even loving the venues and the catering, so we’re confident we’re providing a great day of industry learning!”

The remaining workshops will be held in South Australia, Hunter Valley, Tasmania and Queensland.

This R&D Insights insert has been funded by Hort Innovation using the olive research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower‑owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

Olive R&D – Processing

The Day 1 theory session covered the various stages of processing and how each can affect the end result.

AOA Processing workshop: efficiency by numbers In the June R&D Insights lift-out, we looked at the information shared at the AOA Olive Oil Processing Workshop, held in Boort, Victoria in April. The theory covered on day 1 was put into action during day 2’s practical session, where two consecutive trials compared the outcomes of processing using parameters specific to the fruit and conditions. In this follow-up article, we unpack the statistical results of the comparative trials.

The workshop

Presented by international processing consultant Pablo Canamasas and award-winning producers Peter and Marlies Eicher of Salute Oliva, the comprehensive two-day course honed in on the factors affecting processing quality and efficiency, from grove management for optimal fruit quality to best-practice processing and storage.

During the theory session discussion moved through the various stages of processing and how each can affect the end result: in the grove - well-grown olives, optimal picking time, fruit moisture content and fruit temperature at processing (stay cool!); and during processing - grid size, temperature, speed and the use of processing aids for increased extraction.

That theory was then utilised during a hands-on practical day at Salute Oliva’s boutique on-farm production facility, where participants assisted with the processing of two trial batches. Each used Arbequina fruit from the same Boundary Bend grove, one utilising a ‘standard’ extraction process and the other including adjustments for variables in the fruit and conditions.

The statistics

Canamasas and the Eichers prepared a breakdown of the comparative processing trials carried out during the course, detailing all operational and input variations between the two. Canamasas then prepared an economic analysis based on the production cost factors and yield results of each, as shown in the table above.

The first trial was done without processing aids, and the high fruit moisture level (60.1%) resulted in a yield of just 10.9%. In the second trial talc and enzymes were added, and changes were made to the grid size (from 6mm to 5mm), temperature (from 28C to 29C) and processing speed (from 600kg/h to 530kg/h). Those minor adjustments produced a yield of 12.6% and 64kg of oil - an increase of more than 15% and 9kg of oil – equating to a remarkable 92% extraction of the 13.7% fruit oil content.

The additional minimal outlay for processing aids (in this case a

PARAMETER

TRIAL 1

TRIAL 2

Grid size (mm)

6

5

Malaxing temperature (°C)

28

29

Malaxing time (min)

88

90

Enzymes dosage (ml/ton)

0

500

Talc powder dosage (%)

0

0.5

Processing speed (kg/hr)

600

530

Fruit weight (kg)

503

507

Oil content in fruit (%)

13.7

13.7

Moisture content in fruit (%)

60.1

60.1

Oil obtained (kg)

55

64

Yield (%)

10.93

12.62

Industrial efficiency (%)

79.8

92.1

Talc price/kg (US$)

$-

$0.50

Enzyme price/lt (US$)

$-

$20.30

EVOO price/kg (US$)

$-

$8.00

Gross benefit/ton (US$)

$-

$72.00

Processing aids expense/ton (US$)

$-

$12.65

Net benefit/ton vs Trial 1 (US$)

$-

$59.40

Table 1: Comparative results and economic analysis, with Trial 2 processing adjusted for fruit and production variables.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 31

Olive R&D – Processing EOI for 2020 processing workshop total of US$12.65/ton for talc Demand for places at the Boort workshop exceeded supply, and enzymes) also reaped a prompting the forward arrangement of another which will cost benefit of nearly 500%, run at a similar time next year. producing a net production If you’re keen to attend the 2020 event, you can register your benefit of US$59.40/ton. interest now and get an early heads-up to ensure you don’t Peter Eicher said the results miss out. Email AOA Administration Manager Liz Bouzoudis provided solid confirmation of at secretariat@olivegrower.com.au. the presenters’ message that the key to processing success is “working specifically with the fruit you’ve got”.

“There is naturally a reasonable variation of the test results, when you just take two samples with the given set up at Salute Oliva, however there is definitively an improvement of significant proportion from the first to the second trial using enzymes and talc,” he said.

Canamasas added that the key to achieving these results is understanding the fruit condition. “Processing aids such as talc powder and enzymes are to be used only when required,” he said.

“Making EVOO is not about replicating a “recipe” for each fruit batch every year. The always-changing fruit condition must be properly evaluated and understood in order to use processing aids in a cost-effective manner.”

Results confirmed

Boundary Bend had in fact generously delivered nine bins and a total of 4505kg of freshly harvested olives to Salute Oliva. Only three bins and 1000kg were used for the trials so, rather than waste valuable fruit, Peter and Marlies continued processing the remaining fruit after the workshop. They worked through five batches of approximately 650kg of fruit, the capacity of their malaxer, and another only partly full, finishing around 10pm.

They also continued to record all relevant information as they went and produced an additional set of figures which include all fruit processed throughout the day, as follows:

PARAMETER

SETTING

Malaxing temperature (°C) *No heating used as very warm day with olive temperature in low 20°s"

29

Total fruit weight processed (kg)

4505

Oil content in fruit (%)

13.2

Moisture content in fruit (%)

60.1

Oil obtained (kg)

506.5

Yield (%)

11.24

Industrial efficiency (%)

85.2

Presenter Pablo Canamasas stressed that analysing and understanding the condition of each fruit batch is the key to achieving processing efficiency.

Contemplating colour …

Another element noted during the practical session was the substantial variation in colour between the trial oils, made just hours apart and from the same fruit. Peter Eicher provided an explanation and further relevant information: “We saw that the second sample was much greener. This was mainly due to the smaller grid (5mm): the higher friction inside the crusher due to the smaller grid size generates a slight increase in temperature that makes chlorophylls more soluble in oil.

“However, this colour will not be maintained as the chlorophyll which causes the green colour will dissipate over the next two to three month and then both oils will have the same final colour.”

Table 2: Cumulative results from the total of eight batches processed on the day of the workshop trials.

The results, as Canamasas said, “show that trials and real life show the same trend”.

Eicher agreed, and noted the importance of the exercise in developing more viable processing practices across the industry.

“I think the 85.2% efficiency is really significant,” he said.

“In industry terms I believe that only with good understanding and proper preparation – e.g. grid selection, enzymes and or talc selection – is it possible to achieve 85.2% of efficiency when an olive has a low oil content of 13.2% and is notoriously difficult to process.

“Without proper preparations, and good understanding of the processes and equipment, it would be quite normal to have an extraction efficiency in the low 70% range.

“This processing course was extremely well run by Pablo and the information was essential to gain that understanding of how to produce high quality extra virgin olive oil. The combination of the

theory with a hands-on practical day on a small producer’s farm was invaluable for many course participants, and would have triggered many ideas and a deeper understanding of the theoretical base.”

You can read more about the AOA Processing Workshop in the June edition of R&D Insights, available 24/7 on the OliveBiz website www.olivebiz.com.au.

32 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Olive R&D – Grove management

Plant hormone the ‘holy grail’ for soil salinity The problems associated with soil salinity could be solved in the near future, thanks to new research by a team of Australian scientists. Published recently online in Nature Scientific Reports, the research has found that a hormone produced naturally by plants under stress can be applied to horticultural crops to alleviate the damage caused by salty soils.

The problem

Soil salinization is a huge issue across the world, currently affecting 20% of irrigated farming and food-producing land - more than 220 million hectares. The percentage of salt-affected lands continues to grow due to the improper management of land and water resources, and recent estimates suggest that 50% of the world’s arable lands will be affected by salinity by the year 2050.

Saline soils exist naturally but salinity most commonly occurs when highly saline irrigation water is repeatedly applied to crops, leading to a progressively increasing build-up of salt in the soil. Saline soils are among the most challenging environments for plant production, as salinity adversely impacts soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization, respiration, residue decomposition, N cycling and bacterial and fungal growth rates.

The result is reduced soil fertility and productivity, therefore lower crop yields, along with increased susceptibility to drought and damage to soil microbiology.

Identifying potential pathways to reduce plant stress caused by salinity is therefore crucial to improving agronomic productivity of salinity-affected soils and securing global food supplies into the

future. This has seen scientists focussed over many years on finding solutions, including methods for breeding salt-tolerance in plants and removing salt from the soil. Taking a different direction completely, this new research offers real - and viable - potential to reduce the damage which occurs in crop plants as a result of soil salinity.

The solution

In short, the team of researchers from Western Sydney University and the University of Queensland identified a naturally-occurring chemical in plants that reduces the symptoms of salt stress in plants when applied to the soil they are growing in. The treatment enabled test plants to increase their growth by up to 32 times compared with untreated plants.

Called ACC, the compound occurs naturally in plants when they become stressed by drought, heat or salty conditions. The scientists found that applying ACC to crops planted into salty soils prevented the formation of the compounds that cause plant damage under salty conditions, and also increased beneficial soil enzyme and microbial activity. These effects enabled the plants to cope with the salty environment and in testing, increased the comparative growth of

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 33

Olive R&D – Grove management lettuce plants by nearly five times and model plants by over 30 times.

Western Sydney University’s Professor Brajesh Singh is one of the report’s authors, and provided Olivegrower with a more detailed explanation about ACC and how the intervention process works.

“ACC is a pre-cursor of ethylene, which is a stress hormone and so is produced in higher concentrations when plants are under stress. The microbiome uses this compound as a signal, triggering mechanisms which protect the plant and reduce the damaging effects of high salt levels,” Singh said.

“What we’re doing is providing that signal via ACC amendments before the plant needs it, so the microbes are ready with the protective mechanisms well before the damage happens.”

The olive perspective AOA President and grove consultant Mike Thomsett described the finding as exciting, with significant potential benefits for olive production.

“While olives have a moderate tolerance to salinity tolerance, it may open areas that have saline irrigation water to become viable land for producing olives,” he said.

“It may also save some groves where salinity is already an issue or on the edge of tolerance levels. For example, I know of one large potentially commercial grove where the viability is now in doubt, as the bore water is too saline and there is no longer river water available to dilute it as they have in the past. This may allow them to use the bore water without dilution, whereas at present they can’t irrigate, the grove is unproductive and it will probably get bulldozed.

“The potential to grow new, more productive varieties with more favourable attributes may also arise where these have previously been restricted by saline conditions.”

Supporting sustainability

Singh said the discovery is a long-awaited breakthrough in achieving more sustainable methods of food production.

“The significance for me is that this is the holy grail of sustainable farming: the ability to change the whole microbiome the way we want to for a positive outcome,” he said.

“We know there is a strong relationship between plants and microbes.

We know they respond to the stress call from plants by providing protection from damaging elements. The question to date has been: how are we going to harness that interaction?

“If you have pathogen attack, generally by the time the plant sends out the message and the microbes respond the damage has been done.

That activity is not at the scale it needs to be to save it from damage.

“We’ve had until now very few tools to change the microbiology to use it to assist us but we can do this now with in-situ microbiome engineering. We know the problem, so we need to ask: what are the changes in the microbiome which are needed to reduce the impact of salinity? Once we know that we can change the microbiome in the way we want before the problem arises, so they can act in advance and minimise the damage.

“That means now we have a tool: if we know our soil is saline - and we do – then we can use this ACC compound to change the microbiome in the plant roots so they are now active in reducing the negative outcomes of salinity in the plant.

“The first line of defence is always to minimise the salinity itself. We know it’s increasing and we need to increase our efforts to stop that happening. But where we already have salinity in the soil, we’re trying to reduce the impact of that salinity in the productivity of the farm and we can do that now with our new tool, ACC. “And it is significant that, unlike methods such as gypsum, manures and tillage previously used to mitigate the exposure of plants to the salts in soils, ACC is naturally produced by plant roots and therefore contributes to long-term soil health, plant-microbe relationships and carbon storage.”

Broader outcomes

Singh said that in-field use of ACC amendment is still some way off, however the possibilities arising from the discovery are huge.

“This has opened up a whole new world in terms of managing plant stress from a number of different factors,” he said.

“But this is a model plan, so we’re one step behind at this stage. For each particular crop we’d need to test it in that farm system to make sure things work, so for olives it must first be tested in an olive farming system.

“And while the product is available, what we use is very pure so it’s very high priced and it’s not currently produced at an agricultural level.

That changes once you need a larger quantity, however: the demand will automatically produce the supply, and then the cost goes down.”

More to come

The primary work is being carried out by Dr Hongwei Liu, postdoctoral fellow in the Singh laboratory at Western Sydney University WSU’s Professor Singh and his colleagues are also looking into whether it is possible to use ACC amendments “in the nursery” to turn on the

ACC amendments (14 days) Saline soils

Non-saline soils

Soil prokaryotic community

significantly shifted (at >50 µM ACC)

minor changes

Soil fungal community

significantly shifted (at >50 µM ACC)

minor changes

Soil microbial enzymatic activity

improved (at >50 µM ACC)

not significantly changed

Soil carbon substrate improved (at >50 utilization µM ACC)

improved (at 200 µM ACC)

Soil nitrogen and carbon cycling potentials

improved (only at 2000 µM ACC)

declined (at 2000 µM ACC)

ACC deaminaseencoding gene expression

improved (at >200 µM ACC)

not significantly changed

Plant biomass production

improved (at >50 µM ACC)

declined or not significantly changed

Figure 7: A summary of the effects of ACC amendments on soil microbial quality and plant productivity in the saline and non-saline soils. Green colours represent beneficial effects; the orange and pink represent minor changes and deleterious effects, respectively.

protective mechanism in the microbiome of the soil in the pot or nursery bed. This would enable far more controlled application, requiring less of the product than amending at an agricultural scale.

This further research is currently underway and we’ll bring you the results when they’re available.

References: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43305-4.

Soil amendments with ethylene precursor alleviate negative impacts of salinity on soil microbial properties and productivity: Hongwei Liu, Muhammad Yahya Khan, Lilia C. Carvalhais, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Lijuan Yan, Mark Crawford, Paul G. Dennis, Brajesh Singh & Peer M. Schenk. Scientific Reports volume 9, Article number: 6892 (2019).

34 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Pruning

In the ongoing OliveCare® Best Practice series, Administrator Peter McFarlane discusses how to increase yield of premium EVOO and table olives through best practice grove and production management strategies.

In this article he looks at rejuvenation pruning to increase efficiency and productivity in the grove.

Best Practice Series

Wollundary Grove renovation pruning: progress report Peter McFarlane, AOA OliveCare® Administrator

Horticulturalist Andrew Taylor in action at the Wollundry Grove field day held as part of the 2018 AOA National Conference.

2018 Conference field day demonstration

As reported in the November 2018 edition of OliveCare® News, and the Olivegrower & Processor December 2018 edition (pg 11), during a field day held as part of the AOA National Conference in Wagga Wagga, NSW, presenter Andrew Taylor demonstrated olive grove renovation pruning at Wollundry Grove. Andrew is a New Zealand horticulturalist specialising in olive grove management and one of two experts guiding the highly successful Olive New Zealand Focus Grove Project.

Andrew’s rejuvenation pruning method aims to remove 25-30% of unproductive old canopy in year one and 100% over 5-6 years to achieve a healthier, more productive, and more manageable new canopy. Andrew advocates the cuts be made between shoulder and hip height, which is safer for the chainsaw operator and allows the new canopy to establish closer to the ground.

Recently OliveCare® visited Wollundry Grove to catch up with owners Bruce Spinks and Joo-Yee Lieu, who have since decided to undertake renovation pruning across the entire grove. This is an opportune time when irrigation water is limited by the ongoing drought in NSW.

June 2019 – the first cut.

The first cut

The June 2019 renovation pruning undertaken by Bruce at Wollundry Grove removed around 30% of the canopy which had become too tall. As can be seen from the leaf litter under the trees, the canopy is also suffering from leaf infection by the fungus Cercospora.

Also note the large chainsaw cuts are covered with white plastic paint containing a fungicide to prevent trunk fungal infection.

Renovation pruning is combined with effective foliage applications of fungicide, with follow-up application of protectants following rainfall episodes.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 35

Pruning

Got an issue in your grove? A tricky question about processing, packaging, or some other aspect of your olive business?

The Olivegrower & Processor team is here to help and we’ve got all the right connections.

Let us know what you’re pondering over, battling with or downright bamboozled by, and we’ll speak with industry experts to try and find the answers.

Email your queries to Editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au and we’ll be in touch.

Regrowth

Left is one of the Wollundry Grove trees pruned by Andrew Taylor at the Conference field day in October 2018. It shows promising regrowth, which in another year will be thinned to select new leaders to provide a framework for the renewed canopy.

When these new leaders have established, a further old limb will be removed, and so on over the next few years until the entire tree canopy is renewed, reinvigorated and lowered to a more manageable height.

Mulching prunings

Eight months of regrowth from the October 2018 cut.

Along with a good chainsaw, Bruce has invested in a mulcher to deal with the massive amount of pruning generated. This has provided a deep inter-row layer of mulch to increase soil carbon, help cool the soil and conserve soil moisture during hot summers.

His shared some good advice for other growers from the experience: “If people are going to get a mulcher they need to get a good quality unit to handle the volume and density of material that they’ll be processing. It is not easy going chopping up limbs and a rearward facing unit would probably be a bit better to handle the big windrows.”

Progress updates

We’ll update annually in Olivegrower & Processor on the Wollundry Grove pruning renovation as Bruce and Yoo-Yee continue through the ongoing limb replacement and canopy renewal process, reporting on their activities, observations and the results of their efforts.

Want to learn more about pruning?

In the meantime, there are a number of AOA Conference presentations are available from the Members Lounge on the AOA website www.australianolives.com.au - select ‘Conference reports’: • Benefits of Regular Pruning by Leandro Ravetti, Modern Olives Australian Olive Association Annual Conference September 2014; • Grove Recovery Project 2014-2015 by Marcelo Berlanda, OliveTec Australia - Australian Olive Association Annual Conference September 2015.

Olivegrower & Processor subscribers can also access the series of articles covering the three-year Coonalpyn pruning rejuvenation project, which provide a comparative exercise undertaken on a super high density (SHD) grove using machine pruning. Just log into the OliveBiz website – www.olivebiz.com.au - to access the online September editions for 2015-2018.

Owner Bruce Spinks showed OliveCare® administrator Peter McFarlane, Shane Cummins of Long Paddock Olive Rustlers and Monika Bronsgeest of L'oliveriae the early results of the Wollundry Grove renovation pruning and mulching project.

Wollundry Grove Olives: www.wollundrygroveolives.com.au. Contact Bruce and Joo-Yee at admin@wollindrygrove.com.au or (02) 6924 6494.

36 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Harvest report

Harvest report – Tas & NZ In this edition, we wrap up our annual round-up of the harvest around Australia and New Zealand with an overview from our southernmost growers across Tasmania and New Zealand.

Tasmania It’s been a variable year across Tasmanian groves, with challenges coming from weather, critters and fires throughout the season. As always, however, island state growers have managed to produce more of their renowned high-quality EVOO this year.

ABBOTSHAM

Lentara Grove, Exeter

This year we welcome Martin and Sophie Grace of Lentara Grove to the Olivegrower Harvest Report team. They also process for other growers, so have provided us with an overview of the harvest in north-eastern Tasmania - which like many other regions had both upsides and some challenges.

The growing season “Flowering at our grove was good, albeit about a week later than in the previous year,” Martin said.

“Subsequent fruit set was also quite good, but varied quite a bit by both variety and block. This is likely due to the direction of the breezes during flowering and a slightly wetter than average November.

“Harvest was two to three weeks ahead depending on variety, helping to get us away from the frost window,” - Martin Grace, Lentara Grove Flying pests “Despite good fruit set, our overall volumes were affected by persistent attack from Green Rosellas. This may have been due to lower natural food sources for the birds in the surrounding bushland as a result of a hot, dry January to March period. Other growers around the state that are near bushland have also reported that Green Rosellas took significantly more olives than normal.

“One of the benefits of the warmer than average summer, however, was an earlier start to the picking season. It was two to three weeks ahead depending on variety, helping to get us away from the frost window.

NEW NORFOLK

“Quality seems good so far, with no frost or disease issues, however the real test will be at the Australian International Olive Awards,” - Martin Grace, Lentara Grove Green table olive varieties started in March, while oil olive varieties started coming online in early to mid-May. Quantity and quality “Overall volumes were lower than the previous year. This is partly due to the increased Green Rosella numbers, as well as it being the biennial off-year for our major variety, Frantoio. A number of other growers also reported drops in overall volumes.

“Quality seems good so far, with no frost or disease issues, however the real test will be at the Australian International Olive Awards.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see if the judges agree with us.”

More information: www.lentara.com.au.

Cradle Coast Olives, Abbotsham

The 2018 harvest was a great one at Cradle Coast Olives: olive-friendly weather returned after a couple of difficult years, as did a bountiful crop across the region.

Unfortunately this year hasn’t been as lucky for new owner Helen Huang, with her first harvest substantially down on last year’s record crop – but no major incident/s to explain it.

The growing season “We had a relatively mild winter and above average temperatures throughout the growing season. Flowering was very heavy, however fruit set was extremely poor, for which there is no obvious reason,” Helen said.

“Subsequently we irrigated on an as-needs basis, which is gravity feed.”

Pests and disease Helen said the scale and peacock spot common across the region were present again this year, along with signs of olive lace bug – not previously seen in the Cradle Coast grove.

“Wallabies are also relatively heavy this year. They’re mainly an inconvenience, requiring judicious handling of tarps during harvest, but some culling was required.”

Quantity and quality While the poor fruit set means the crop this year is very light, Helen said it varied greatly, and there was no reduction in the quality.

“Cropping was spasmodic throughout the grove: some trees were heavily laden while others had nothing,” she said.

“Harvest was a fortnight or so early commencing, starting in late April and finishing in early September.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 37

Harvest report

“And overall the oil is nicely balanced but generally higher in polyphenols, particularly the Verdale variety.”

More information: www.cradlecoastolives. com.au.

“Overall the oil is nicely balanced but generally higher in polyphenols, particularly the Verdale,” - Helen Huang, Cradle Coast Olives

Ashbolt Farm, Plenty

It’s a slightly different story from the southern part of the island state, where Anne and Bob Ashbolt and their neighbours have had a rollercoaster ride over recent years.

This year has been another ‘interesting’ one, and more challenging for some growers than others, Anne tells us.

The growing season “At the risk of sounding like a re-run of past reports, this olive growing season was yet another year of variables that tested some Tasmanian growers and rewarded others.

When haven’t I said that?

“Tasmania’s total spring rainfall was 30% below average and the eighth-driest spring on record. This was followed by a record warm summer (Hobart area) and, although there was localised heavy rain, rainfall was below average for most of the state, with little if any rain for about six weeks from late December to early February. January was Tasmania’s second-driest on record (less than 0.1mm wetter than the driest, January 1939).

“We had thunderstorms and smoke as a result of lightning strikes causing fires in December and January. Numerous bushfires across wide fronts threatened groves and caused a loss of developing fruit in some trees. Hobart had a record 31 consecutive days when it reached at least 20°C, from 23 December to 22 January.

Higher yields “While there were some growers who had a difficult year, the warming weather meant those with irrigation and who were not affected by the fire had significantly higher

yields, with earlier ripening fruit producing higher yields in the grove and higher oil yields at the press as well. It was a good year for many.

And quality “The lack of rain also probably contributed to the lack of sooty mould in any producers’ olives pressed at Ashbolt Farm. Quality was well up – olive pressing was a delight and olives pressed resulted in much better oils across the board than in previous years for all growers.

“So, while it wasn’t plain sailing, with oftentimes wild weather and winds wreaking havoc, it was still a great year as far as fruit set and grove yield. Fruit harvest was up overall by at least 30%.

Regional variation “Of course, this is Tasmania and Tasmania can never be generalised. This year some inland producers didn’t harvest because of unseasonal cold at flowering, the Huon area had good yields overall, and those on the coast were advanced by almost a month on previous years.

Harvest timing “Most growers had finished harvesting by the end of June, with around 20% oil yield in most pressings (definitely not the norm this early). Some growers, including us, harvested well into August, with long rain delays in July continually extending the harvest.

“The lack of rain also probably contributed to the lack of sooty mould in any producers’ olives we processed” - Anne Ashbolt, Ashbolt Farm “Tasmania was fortunately well represented in the handing out of ‘gongs’ at the local Fine Food Awards and it is pleasing to see Tasmanians are now recognising Tasmanian oils as something very special, evidenced by more media coverage and increasing local sales for many growers.

“It was a fabulous finale to a great season.

We wish those whose groves were hit by storm and tempest this year a softer landing next. And we look forward to a Tasmanian industry coming of age and Tasmanian olive oil becoming yet another well recognised premium food category.”

Anne Ashbolt More information: www.ashboltfarm.com. au.

New Zealand Harvest 2016 was a great one for most New Zealand producers, with ideal weather producing bumper crops in all major growing regions. A much smaller crop in 2017 was followed by a generally ‘satisfactory’ harvest in 2018 and this year, despite another season of unpredictable conditions, has seen an overall similar result - particularly on the South Island.

Cairnmuir Olives, Bannockburn – Central Otago

Cairnmuir Olives’ Steve Clark described the 2017-18 season as “excellent” for Central Otago growers, with hot weather

and minimal frost bringing bountiful crops, high extraction rates and flavoursome oils.

This year’s report isn’t quite as positive but, while patchy fruit set saw lower crop yields, extraction rates helped make up for it, making for an overall “average” season.

The growing season “The weather during the 2018-19 growing season was a game of two halves: spring weather closely matched the long term average in temperature and growing degree days, while summer and autumn significantly exceeded the long term average.

“Flowering fell within the usual window,

38 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

commencing mid-December with the Frantoio. The weather during flowering wasn’t favourable, with the result that fruit set was rather variable with some areas of the grove setting almost no fruit. The Leccino was particularly patchy and even the Frantoio, which usually sets a uniformly heavy crop, was variable. Both varieties carried very heavy crops the previous season so biennial bearing may account for some of the variability.

Pests and disease “The weather and the dense canopies on many of our trees combined to produce ideal

Harvest report

conditions for cercospora and black scale.

While the black scale wasn’t as extensive as we had experienced two years earlier, the cercospora was particularly bad and lead to premature leaf fall and fruit drop.

Nelson

“The weather and dense canopies combined to produce ideal conditions for cercospora and black scale,” - Steve Clark, Cairnmuir Olives “We try to avoid spraying the trees and in the past our very cold winters have been enough to prevent fungal diseases over wintering. Unfortunately our winters are not as cold as they have historically been and we are now faced with spraying the trees, together with some very serious pruning to open up the canopies to sunlight and wind.

“During January and February there were a total of 52 rain days, which would have contributed to the creation of favourable conditions for fungal infection.

Water “Rainfall through the nine months of spring, summer and autumn was 654mm, double the long term average rainfall for those months. Apart from 15 days when there was significant rainfall, the vast majority of the 134 rain days produced less than 5mm of rain.

Bannockburn

“The rainfall in the early part of the season avoided the need for consistent irrigation until December. From December through to mid-April we irrigated consistently, varying the application according to soil moisture.

Harvest timing “The harvest itself fell within the usual time frame of mid-May through to early July. To take some of the drudgery out of harvesting, we decided this year to purchase

a tree shaker and loader. Teething troubles, including several hydraulic oil leaks on the tree shaker and a major electrical fault on the loader, combined with less than favourable tree shapes, meant that the harvest was very disrupted and certainly wasn’t one made in heaven.

“Our harvest was spread over six weeks, finishing on 8 July. The fruit was in good condition, with good moisture levels for pressing. Most years the fruit is slightly

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Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 39

Harvest report

dehydrated on account of the cold, and frost damage to the fruit is usually evident in more vulnerable parts of the grove. This year there was virtually no frost damaged fruit due to the absence of low air temperatures.

While there were a large number of air frosts through June, only 10 days of air frost were potentially damaging at -3C or lower.

Quality “While we are satisfied with the quality of the oil, the sensory analysis turned up surprises, with the fruitiness, bitterness and pungency scores well down on previous years.

Across the region “Dunford Grove, one of the largest growers in Central Otago, experienced late flowering and an average fruit set. In the middle of October the air temperature dropped to -4C at their grove, which may have contributed to the late flowering.

Overall, there were lower sunshine hours than the previous year, which they believe led to small fruit.

“The tonnage harvested was down on the previous year, due in part to losing 20% to frost on the final day of harvest.

Despite the lower tonnage they enjoyed an increased oil yield, up from 13/15% last year to 18/19% this year. The upshot was they produced the same volume of oil as they had in the previous year.

“OPCO, the contract processor, operated in their normal timing, from the second week in May to late June. There was more fruit processed this season, which was put down to the progressive increase in crop load on young trees. While the tonnage was up, the operator felt that the flavour in the oil wasn’t there. Fruit picked early in the season achieved oil yields of only 7/8% but this increased to 18/19% later in the season.

There was little evidence of frosted fruit despite a tendency to later picking.

“All in all, an average season.”

Steve Clark More information: www.cairnmuirolives. co.nz.

Tasman Bay Olives, Nelson

It’s been a bumpy ride across the Nelson region over the past few years, with several bumper yields followed by a below-average year and then a “crazy season” last year.

This year has once again seen very different conditions but with a highly satisfying outcome.

Wairarapa

“We were seeing high percentages early on, peaking at just over 28%,” - Roger Armstrong, Beulah Olives

The growing season Roger Armstrong said there was “nothing out of the ordinary” in the season’s start: flowering was “pretty normal, although a couple of weeks earlier than usual” and weather conditions throughout were good.

“But we ended up with not quite a record drought year - the driest we’ve had for more than a decade and an unusual starting point,” he said.

“From fruit set to harvest we had very little rain and temperatures weren’t as high as the previous year. There was very little frosting in the area compared to some years

and, except for a couple of small events, rain held off for harvesting.

“That was probably two weeks earlier this year. It was the dry; all the local fruit crops were running a little earlier than usual.”

Bumper yield This year’s fruit set was, Armstrong said, “surprising”.

“We’re fortunate here as generally we’re on clays, so the moisture retention is fantastic and most of the groves are unirrigated. We’ve never irrigated. We were also coming out of a reasonably wet winter,

To subscribe and for more information visit: www.olivebiz.com.au

40 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Harvest report

so our expectation was initially average.

“The fruit size was down a bit on the previous year’s oversized crop but it was in far better condition than we expected, and at the time of harvest was looking very good. And once we started processing it just kept on turning up, and we did 160 tonnes in total this year compared with 90 tonnes last year. It was an on-year, which surprised everybody.

“On top of that, the oil percentages were through the roof, so the overall production is way up on the previous year. We were seeing high percentages early on in younger groves and better cared for groves and ended up with a run of 27%, peaking at just over 28%.

“Generally speaking everything was up about 3-4%, other than those that were right over the top, so it was probably one of our best years ever.”

Pests and disease Central Otago groves also remained attack-free this year.

“We don’t have any pests - we don’t see scale and we don’t have anything else that climbs or walks,” Armstrong said.

“It was less of a year for Anthracnose, and definitely not an issue, and there’s always a little bit of Peacock spot but nothing of any concern.”

Quantity and quality “Quantity this year was “well up” on previous years, with quality appearing to match the trend.

“Personally we’re probably 70% up in oil.

The North Island has a need for oil this year, so it should be a good financial year.

“Quality is the usual story: it’s always

“This year’s oils were excellent for fruitiness but down on polyphenols, so there were fewer intense oils,” - Rod Lingard, The Olive Press good. If anything it’s a little bit more robust this year but certainly our oils are naturally settling out better. And the flavours are all there, along with plenty of punch.”

More information: www.olivesnewzealand. com.

The Olive Press, Greytown - Wairarapa

We also welcome input this year from Rod Lingard, Chairman of The Olive Press Limited. A major olive mill in the south of the North Island, Rod has provided an overview of the 2019 harvest based on the fruit received for processing and discussions with growers across the region.

The growing season Lingard said a medium level spring flowering in most areas saw good transfer from flower to fruit. That wasn’t the case across the board, however, with groves in the Central Hawkes Bay area experiencing poor flowering and fruit set. Some growers did not harvest at all this year.

Those with good crops saw them nurtured by a mild 2018-19 growing season, however dry conditions saw some larger groves with heavier crops experience water

stress during the ripening period.

Which was a short, sharp and shiny one compared to last year, starting later and finishing substantially earlier. The 2019 harvest ran for seven weeks, from 20 May to 9 July, compared with 2018’s 11-week window from 14 May to 30 July.

Pests and disease Like Central Otago, 2019 was a good year for southern North Island growers in terms of pest and disease issues to tackle. Lingard said growers reported some Peacock spot present, however the dry conditions meant no Anthracnose was seen this year.

Quantity and quality The mild conditions saw an increase in fruit yield from last year’s result, with crop tonnages generally up across the Kapiti and Wairarapa growing regions.

And oil quality was both similar and different to that produced in Central Otago.

“This year’s oils were excellent for fruitiness but down on polyphenols, so there were fewer intense oils,” Lingard said.

More information: www.theolivepress.co.nz.

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NATIONAL HARVESTERS Mobile: 0427879125 Email: nationalharvest@internode.on.net Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 41

New Zealand - Focus Grove Project Coppiced trees now have strong healthy growth and good crop loads.

Green light for new Focus Grove Project Olives New Zealand has recently received funding approval for its new Focus Grove Project, Meeting the Increasing Demand for New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil, under the MPI Sustainable Food and Fibres Futures program, giving the project the green light to proceed.

The new project follows on from the initial Sustaining Farming Fund Focus Grove Project, Increasing the Market Share for New Zealand Olive Oil, which ran from 2016-2019. Originally aiming to boost cropping levels to 15kg/tree, the project saw participating groves dramatically increase both tree health and production levels, some achieving as much as 35kg/tree.

The continuing project aims for further improvements via a regime of specified management practices.

Demand-driven

Olives NZ CEO Gayle Sheridan said the new project aims to increase the production of established olive groves to meet the increasing demand for New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil (NZ EVOO) and will provide a template for any new groves.

“The target is an additional 5kg of fruit production per tree,” she said.

“The New Zealand olive industry punches well above its weight on the international platform, particularly in relation to producing high quality and international award winning EVOO, and also in in leading and collaborating in industry research.

“NZ consumers are increasingly appreciating the benefits of NZ EVOO and the cost differential involved in producing our high quality products. Accordingly demand for NZ EVOO is increasing and already exceeds current supply capability.

“Lifting productivity is necessary to enable the industry to meet that demand, hence the main outcome of the project will be increased production from 25kg/tree to 30kg/tree annually. A desired secondary outcome would be an alternate, more organic approach to the current requirement of an intensive spraying program.”

Project overview

The new project will run over three years, commencing in October.

The primary focus areas will be improved capability, higher value/ lower impact land use, and effective mitigation of pests and diseases.

42 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

New Zealand - Focus Grove Project

Focus Grove Project #1 in a nutshell The original Sustainable Farming Fund Focus Grove Project ran for four years from 2016 to 2019.

Called Increasing the Market Share for New Zealand Olive Oil, the project aim was to increase the market share for New Zealandproduced olive oil by identifying basic grove management practices to enable the industry to consistently lift productivity of fruit per hectare and thus also reduce costs. The outcome would enable the New Zealand industry to compete effectively with imported olive oils to increase its share of the local consumer market.

The objectives to achieve that purpose were aimed at practice changes to enhance tree and grove productivity. The methods use expert tree crops horticultural advice focusing in two key aspects of grove management: 1. Improving tree health by disease control using affordable protectant spray programs to eliminate foliage diseases that defoliate olive trees, a primary cause of low productivity in NZ groves.

2. Introducing practical, affordable tree pruning regimes that improve light distribution for stimulating flowering and fruit growth, aiding effective spray coverage and inducing adequate annual shoot growth to provide the required bud sites for new flower production – on an annual basis.

The project was an unmitigated success, far surpassing the original aim of increasing productivity to 15kg per tree. Focus Groves, and others following the project management recommendations, have typically achieved harvests of 25kg/tree in recent years and some are exceeding 35kg/tree. Biennial bearing has been dramatically reduced and trees are now producing bunches rather than single fruits.

Those following the recommended program for proactive disease and canopy management have also reached an exemplary stage in relation to grove health, with little or no disease and lush growth.

Many Focus Grove trees now produce bunches rather than single fruits.

This project will use the following methodologies: • The services of expert consultant Stuart Tustin, of Plant and Food Research, will be contracted. Tustin was involved in the initial Focus Grove Project and has demonstrated expertise in successfully researching and implementing strategies for improving orchard production.

• Five focus groves will be established in each of the main regions.

These will be groves that have demonstrated a commitment to the principles of current best practice and have a well-established baseline. They will be responsible for implementing and trialling new approaches, measuring outcomes and hosting Field Days to share their experiences.

• Other groves will be selected for their alternate approaches to grove management, to be visited as part of the Field Days to review and record their approach and to benchmark.

• Field Days will be held twice annually to share knowledge, demonstrate application and review outcomes. As above this will not only include the focus groves but also groves who have adopted alternate approaches.

• Reports will be produced after each Field Day to detail the strategies trialled, results and future recommendations. This enables broad communications which can be used by the industry, other sectors with similar issues, researchers and as a basis for media articles.

• Fact sheets on key findings will be issued as soon as successful strategies are identified.

• A project synopsis will be presented at the Olives NZ Conference and be available to be used at other conferences, nationally and internationally.

Industry-wide benefits

Approval of the project funding is great news for the NZ industry and provides well-deserved recognition of the efforts of Olives NZ, the consultants and the Focus Grove owners throughout the first successful project.

Truly an industry endeavour, funding for both projects is on a shared basis: the SFF funding is matched by the NZ industry via Olives NZ, and in-kind funding is provided by Focus Grove owners through the costs incurred in following the recommended regimes.

The results of the initial project have generously been shared with the wider industry, particularly Australian growers via Olivegrower & Processor and at the 2018 National Conference, and the outcomes of the continuing project will no doubt provide even greater benefits to growers across New Zealand and much further afield.

The first field days will be held in October and we’ll bring you a report in the December edition of Olivegrower & Processor.

Show your support The industry funding share for the initial Focus Grove Project was provided predominantly via grower and business contributions. Anyone interested in supporting this important new extension project can contact Olives NZ Executive Officer Gayle Sheridan at admin@olivesnz. org.nz. All contributions will be recognised and greatly appreciated.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 43

Olive business

Best Practice Series

In the ongoing OliveCare® Best Practice series, Administrator Peter McFarlane discusses how to increase and ensure the quality of EVOO and table olives through best practice grove and production strategies. In this article he looks at the crucial topic of protecting product quality throughout the supply chain via a case study monitoring temperature during export transit.

Best Practice Transport & Shipping: Supply chain temperature monitoring case study Peter McFarlane, AOA OliveCare® Administrator

Supply chain management is an important component of maintaining product quality.

Data logging helps achieve quality management standards and compliance with specified regulations and procedures.

The journey from the bottler to the supermarket warehouse can vary greatly from a few days by road to an Australian distribution centre to 3-4 weeks by sea freight to Hong Kong/China, with perhaps additional time spent sitting in the sun on the docks at either end of the journey.

During this time it is important that we monitor temperatures of the product in the pallets, as high temperatures will accelerate

oxidation and impact on product quality.

Research demonstrates that there is a 7% drop in product life expectancy for every 1°C above the recommended storage temperature of olive oil (18°C).

In our work investigating best practice methodologies, OliveCare® uses a product called ‘Tinytag Transit 2’ from Hastings Data Loggers to monitor temperatures in consignments of olive oil sent by road couriers, or by air or sea.

Tinytag data loggers can be used to accurately and reliably monitor temperature, humidity, power usage, CO2 and other environmental parameters. It is suggested that a logger be included in

44 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

each pallet/package, to be recovered at the destination and posted back to the consigner for downloading and interpreting data.

The following chart is an example of an export temperature log for a consignment of EVOO shipped from Freemantle WA to Hong Kong in March/April 2017: Transit 2 Test chart (right): • A container of EVOO (harvest date June 2016) with a potential shelf life of 24 months (as determined by ‘freshness testing’) was held in a warehouse in Perth at a temperature of 23°C. • The ideal storage temperature for olive oil is between 14°C and 18°C.

Olive business

OliveCare® Best Practice - Product packaging & distribution checklist • comply with product labelling legal requirements • correct storage of packaging materials and packed product • safe transport of packed product temperature monitoring • small retailers check list - olive product handling instructions • implement product traceability and product recall systems

• The container of EVOO was then transported from the Perth warehouse to the Port of Freemantle on 15 March 2017 for loading as sea freight to Hong Kong.

• On the docks at Freemantle the container temperature varied between 23°C and 25.5°C. • The vessel sailed 6 days later, on 21 March, for a 21-day voyage to Hong Kong, arriving on 12 April.

• During the 21 day voyage the container temperature gradually increased from 22.5°C to 31.5°C. • Once unloaded in Hong Kong the container temperature fell from the 31.5°C peak while sitting on the wharf for eight days (to 20 April), with temperatures fluctuating between 25-28°C. • Once taken into the Hong Kong warehouse, the product temperature dropped to around 23-24°C. • During the total transit time of 6 weeks (warehouse to warehouse), the average temperature was around 27°C.

• Research data suggests shelf life expectations drop by 7% for every 1°C above 18°, so an average storage temperature of 27°C over six weeks will result in a loss of potential shelf life of at least three weeks - calculated as follows: 6 weeks x {1 + (7% x 9°C)} = 9 weeks So in the 6 weeks of transit the oil will have aged 9 weeks (6 x 1.56).

• Noting that this EVOO product was effectively 11 months old in May 2017, if this product is subsequently kept in the warehouse at 24°C (6°C above ideal temperature) for say a further 3 months until sold, it would be continue its accelerated aging calculated as follows: 4 months x {1 + (7% x 6 degreesC)} = 5.7 months So during an additional 4 months of storage at 24°C the oil will age 5.7 months (3 x 1.42), meaning the effective age of the oil in September 2017 is now around 18 months (compared to its actual age of 15 months).

• Therefore this product (assuming it initially had a potential shelf life of 2 years) now has only 6 months of remaining shelf life and would need to be sold quickly to retail outlets to ensure its continued EVOO classification.

In EVOO storage research trials ‘Pyropheophytin a’ (aka PPPs) increased immediately and at a significant rate upon exposure to higher storage temperatures, and was a clear indicator of unsatisfactory storage conditions, exceeding the Australian standard limit (17%) after only 3 months when stored at 37°C. Ref: The Effect of Storage Conditions on Extra Virgin Olive Oil Quality, By Jamie Ayton, Rodney J. Mailer and Kerrie Graham, April 2012. RIRDC Publication No. 12/024. www.agrifutures.com.au - Publications & Resources.

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LOW COST - ASK about Quantity Pricing Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 45

Organics

2019 Organic Market Report: global demand continues to rise The annual Australian Organic Market Report contains industry and consumer insights, and highlights export growth and potential in key markets. Here’s an overview of the most olive-industry relevant facts and figures.

Australian consumer demand for certified organic products continues to grow dramatically, with domestic sales generating $1.93 billion ($1.93B) in 2018. That’s an increase of $256 million and more than 15% from the 2017 figure of $1.67B, and means the total Australian organic industry is now worth $2.6B - and still growing year on year.

Demand from overseas countries for Australian organic exports is also continuing to forge ahead: total organic export tonnage for 2018 grew by 13% from 2017 figures, with 30,155 tonnes of organic produce and products exported to 61 countries over the last year.

These statistics and more are contained in the latest Australian Organic Market Report, which covers the 2018 calendar year.

Compiled by market research group Mobium Group, the report contains consumer insights from 1,025 Australian primary household food shoppers, along with industry insights gathered by the University of New England.

Consumer trends

The 2019 report found that 65% of Australian households are now buying some sort of organic product or produce throughout the year, an annual rise of 5%.

Fruit, ready to eat foods and cosmetics/ health products are among the most in-demand organic product categories.

There is no obvious demographic pattern to organic shoppers, suggesting that the ‘appeal’ of organics is cross-societal and

weighted average up 19.8% in 2019 from 16.9% in 2018. Those spending more than 20% on organics rose from 34% in 2016 and 40% in 2018 to 45% in 2019, while those with a usual outlay of 40% or more now represent 17% in total (up from 12% in 2018).

Supermarkets continue to be the dominant channel for regular organic buying (90%+ of purchasers at some time) but shopping patterns are continuing to diversify, with an increase in those saying that they buy organics ‘frequently’ or ‘often’ from specialist stores, markets and by direct modes.

Trust and informed decision-making are also increasingly important factors, with 80% of consumers saying an organic certification mark may influence their purchase decision.

Organic production in Australia increasingly becoming mainstream.

Increased awareness regarding chemicals and the environment were identified as major purchase drivers, with consumers citing the perceived main benefits as chemical-free (80%), environmentally-friendly (71% - up from 65% since 2016) and additive-free (65%).

Those who buy organic are also doing so more regularly and across a wider range of products. Nearly half of current organic purchasers say that they have increased the allocation of their household food spending on organics over the past year, with the

Australia continues to lead the world with the largest area of agricultural land under certified organic management. The World of Organic Agriculture Report 2019 cites a total of 69.8M hectares of organic farmland in 2017, with a record growth of 20% (11.7M hectares) since 2016. Australia still holds a majority (51%) of the global total area, with at least 35.7M hectares of organic certified farmland. A small increase on last year, this represents 9.6% of all of Australia’s agricultural land. Shifts in 2018 data suggest in-conversion land of approximately 3M hectares successfully graduated to fullycertified organic over the report period.

Sector/commodity

Total (Domestic retail + exports)

Domestic Retail

Export

Processing

Vegetables

845

804

41

594

Beef & veal

550

196

354

543

Non-alcoholic beverages (incl tea and coffee)

450

423

27

348

Fruit *includes table olives

225

167

58

164

Other Processed/ready to eat foods *includes olive oil

207

196

11

160

Nuts

126

55

71

107

Cosmetics, health/medicinal, beauty/ personal care

148

136

12

110

Top performing organic sectors and commodities 2018 – all figures $M 46 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Organics

Growth in certified operations

The total number of certified Australian organic operations (certified producers, processors and handlers) in 2018 is estimated to be 4,802, a 19% increase on 2017 (4,028).

New South Wales continues to lead the way with 29% of certified operations, closely followed by Victoria at 28%, Queensland 20% and South Australia 11%, with Northern Territory, Western Australia, Tasmania and ACT comprising the remaining 12%.

Tasmania – small, premium

While Tasmania may have a relatively small percentage of the country’s organic producers, it has the most intense production.

Tasmania’s average organic farm has the smallest land area per certified operation in Australia, with 70 farmers managing an average of 90 hectares each and no large pastoral holdings.

This trend reflects the focus away from a conventional farming commodities approach, with Tasmanian producers instead aiming for small scale farming of premium, value-added organic produce, including direct marketing from the farm gate and farmers’ markets.

Top organic olive oil export markets

In Singapore the packaged food category (including olive oil) accounts for the bulk of the market at US$12.4 million. The top three organic packaged food products were rice (US$6.9M), baby food (US$3.1M), and olive oil (US$1.4M).

In Switzerland packaged food accounts for US$409.3M and per capita spending on packaged food the fourth highest in the world. The top three growth products between 2016 and 2017 were pasta (7.2% growth on the previous year), olive oil (6.7%), and sauces, dressings and condiments (6.6%).

Key findings - Australian Organic Market Report 2019 • 65% of households say they purchased at least one organic product in 2018 • 50% of organic shoppers purchase home-cooking ingredients • Chemical-free (80%), environmentally-friendly (71%) and additive-free (65%) are viewed as the biggest advantages of organic food • 49% of shoppers say personal health is the top reason they purchased organic products • Households spending more than 20% of their food budget on organics rose from 34% in 2016 to 45% in 2019 • USA, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore are the leading export destinations for organic products produced in Australia • The estimated value of the Australian organic market is $ 2.4 billion • Australia is home to the world’s largest area of certified organic land – around 51% of the global total • The total value of the organic industry in Australia has grown by 88% since 2012 • The number of certified organic processors in Australia has grown by 45% since 2017 Overall top export destinations for organics from Australia are the USA, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore.

Global market potential

The report finds that, while organic farming is practised in 178 countries, two regions North America and Europe - generate 91% of international sales.

North America has the largest market for organic foods in the world, valued at US$48.7B in 2017. High growth is continuing in the US and Canadian markets and the market share of total food products currently sits at 4-5%. Demand for organic foods continues to outpace supply, with organic products imported into the US from every continent increasingly being facilitated by organic trade arrangements.

The European market for organic food and drink products was worth US$39.6B in 2017, with organic food sales concentrated in Western Europe. The market share

varies considerably between countries, led

by Scandinavian and Alpine countries. In Denmark, for example, organic products account for almost 9% of total food sales.

Closer to home, Asia has a large and expanding market for organic products, currently valued at US$6.7B. The major players have moved from Japan and South Korea to China and India, mainly attributed to growing consumer affluence in those countries.

The major driver of market growth in most countries is increasing penetration of organic foods into mainstream retailers. Distribution of organic food and drink is increasing in supermarkets and other large stores, and a growing number of food retailers are marketing organic foods under their private labels, with sales increasing as organic products become more accessible.

More information: www.austorganic.com.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 47

Pests & diseases

Critters like this glassy-wing sharpshooter, carrier of the devastating Xylella fastidiosa, are public enemy #1 for our industry.

Early identification and reporting provides the best chance of early eradication.

Photo: Reyes Garcia III, USDA ARS.

Free online pest reporting training You’ve spotted something unusual in your grove. So what do you do?

A new course available on Plant Health Australia’s Biosecurity Online Training (BOLT) site can provide the answers, covering the topic of reporting new pests and diseases, and some of the steps that may be taken in the early stages of an incursion.

The Pest Reporting and Responses course focusses on your role as a grower in reporting and responding. It provides information on how to report and what may happen after you do. The course also covers the responsibilities of governments and industries in the early part of a pest incursion.

Stress-free learning

The Pest Reporting and Responses course is free, takes around 15 minutes to complete and there’s no assessment. You just need to register as a BOLT user and then you can simply read the information.

The need for speed

Plant pests can have a serious impact on your business, industry and community. By playing your part and reporting anything unusual, you can help reduce the chance of a new pest getting a foothold – remember, the earlier you report, the more likely it is that a pest can be eradicated.

In Australia, any unusual plant pest should be reported as soon as possible to the relevant state or territory agriculture agency through the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

As they say, prevention is better than cure, so implementing biosecurity practices can help to prevent the entry and spread of exotic pests and diseases.

The enemy within

A more immediate threat, however, may in fact be from regionalised pests that are already in the country but confined to specific growing regions and subject to quarantine or official control measures. There are nearly 80 regionalised pests in Australia which could affect your bottom line if you had to deal with them on top of the usual array of pests and diseases.

Speak up and get help

It can be a worrying time, but reporting will allow you to get support, knowledge and advice from your state or territory agriculture department and your industry organisations. This is the best way to: • get the facts about the pest • take the right action to limit spread on your property and neighbouring properties • either eradicate or appropriately manage the pest • help keep local businesses and your community profitable.

About PHA and BOLT

Plant Health Australia is the national co-ordinator of the government-industry partnership for plant biosecurity. This strong partnership is important to minimise pest impacts on Australia, enhance market access and contribute to industry and community sustainability.

PHA’s Biosecurity Online Training (BOLT) platform provides e-learning courses related to plant biosecurity. Access is free (apart from the Biosecurity for Beekeepers course) and available to anyone with an interest in biosecurity.

48 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

More information: www.planthealthaustralia.com.au.

Olives & health

Health round-up Continuing our regular round-up of the latest relevant health research from around the world, to keep you up to date and in the know…

Sautéing with EVOO for increased veggie health benefits A new Spanish study has found that sautéing a traditional combination of Mediterranean diet vegetables in extra virgin olive oil increases the absorption and bioactivity of their phytochemical compounds.

The Mediterranean diet has long been known for its beneficial effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health, however these have been difficult to reproduce in non-Mediterranean populations. Citing differences in cooking methods, the researchers therefore set out to assess whether the health benefits produced by the diet are due to its content only or also by the way they are cooked.

To do so they looked at sofrito, a sautéed ‘sauce base’ and key cooking technique of the Mediterranean diet, assessing the effect of the EVOO cooking medium on the bioactive compounds in its traditional ingredients - tomato, onion and garlic. They noted that sofrito has 40 different phenolic compounds and a high amount of carotenoids, and its consumption is associated with an improvement of cardiovascular risk parameters and insulin sensitivity.

Published in the science journal Molecules, the results found that “cooking vegetables with extra virgin olive oil favours the bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids and polyphenols that are present in vegetables we find in sofrito, to move to the olive oil, which enables the absorption and bioactivity of these compounds”.

The researchers also proved that olive oil plays an essential role in the production of variant molecules of both carotenoids and polyphenols, which are more bio-available and have a higher antioxidant capacity via transfer of the compounds from the vegetables to the oil.

They believe the results explain previous findings that the presence of oil increases the anti-inflammatory effect in tomato sauce, concluding that: “We saw that this increase can occur due the migration of bioactive compounds (carotenoids and polyphenols) from the tomato to the oil during the cooking process, which favours the absorption of these compounds”.

Source: www.eurekalert.org.

And fry fish in olive oil for pancreatic health Scientists at the University of Granada have shown that oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, both present in high concentrations in virgin olive oil, along with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish, relieve the symptoms of pancreatitis.

Evaluating the role of Mediterranean diet ingredients in the prevention and mitigation of cell damage, the in-vitro study allowed the scientists to evaluate how changes in the membrane fatty acid composition in vivo caused by a change in the type of fat ingested affected the ability of cells to respond to induced oxidative-inflammatory damage with cerulein (acute pancreatitis). They found that the fatty acids and antioxidants positively affect the cellular mechanisms involved in the development of acute pancreatitis, a disease caused by oxidative-

inflammation, in particular affecting the cellular mechanisms that respond to local inflammation in the pancreas.

“There is increasing evidence that there are oxidative-inflammatory processes involved in the origin of chronic diseases and that diet plays an important role in such processes,” the study authors concluded.

“The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of diet components prevent/mitigate the pathological incidence of oxidative-inflammatory processes. Therefore, oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol can be considered potential functional ingredients, as they may prevent or mitigate this disease.”

Source: www.medicalxpress.com.

Human study into EVOO and dementia protection In the last edition we looked at Australian research using molecular modelling to investigate interactions between olive compounds and specific proteins found in Alzheimer’s disease. Now scientists at Alabama’s Auburn University are taking the research a step further via a human study researching how consuming extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) may delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The research centers around oleocanthal, a compound found abundantly in EVOO and with an observed positive effect on neurodegenerative disorders. Researchers are working on the development of oleocanthal as a therapeutic molecule to prevent, slow, and/or hold the progression of Alzheimer’s, and also believe that the effects attributed to oleocanthal suggest the consumption of extra-virgin olive oil itself could be beneficial to protect memory and learning ability.

The study will involve people with mild cognitive impairment who have trouble finding words or remembering facts or events. They will be provided with EVOO in daily doses over six months, with memory tests conducted at the beginning and end of the study, along with

MRI scans and other diagnostics.

“Based on our previous studies of 12-years we found EVOO was able to reduce the pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease and improve memory in mice,” research head Professor Amal Kaddoumi said.

“According to our findings, it enhances the function of the bloodbrain barrier, which has a vital role in protecting the brain. Also, EVOO reduces the accumulation of toxic amyloid plaques and reduces neuro-inflammation.”

Kaddoumi said that, while they are optimistic about the therapeutic impact of oleocanthal on cognitive impairment, the growing incidence of Alzheimer’s means identifying open avenues for risk reduction is essential. She sees one as extra-virgin olive oil.

“I am very encouraged. Extra-virgin olive oil is a food. It’s not a drug … this is available on all supermarket shelves.”

Source: www.wrbl.com.

Issue 113 • September 2019 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 49

your calendar of olive events

What’s on

2019 Sep

September 20 TasteBook™/OliveCare® sensory workshop - Roseworthy, SA www.olivebiz.com.au

October 16-19 2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition – Albury, NSW www.nationaloliveconference.com.au

September 22-27 Sol d’Oro Southern Hemisphere – Tacna, Peru www.solagrifood.com

October 27 TasteBook™/OliveCare® workshop – Hunter Valley, NSW www.olivebiz.com.au

Nov

September 24 2019 Taste of Excellence Awards, Sydney Fine Food Show – Sydney, NSW www.rasnsw.com.au September 25-26 Olive Integrated Pest and Disease Management Masterclass – Richmond, NSW r.spooner-hart@westernsydney.edu.au

Oct

November 2 TasteBook™/OliveCare® workshop – Tasmania www.olivebiz.com.au November 12-14 Food & Hotel China 2019 – Shanghai, China www.fial.com.au November 14 Awards presentation, 2019 Hunter Valley Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au

October 4 Entries close, 2019 Hunter Valley Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au

November 15 TasteBook™/OliveCare® workshop – Toowoomba, Qld www.olivebiz.com.au

October 12 Presentation Dinner, 2019 West Australian Olive Awards - WA entries@oliveswa.com.au

November 22 Hort Innovation AGM – Sydney, NSW www.horticulture.com.au

October 12 Presentation Dinner, Olives NZ EVOO Awards – Wellington, NZ admin@olivesnz.org.nz October 12 TasteBook™/OliveCare® workshop - South Australia www.olivebiz.com.au October 18 Presentation dinner, Australian International Olive Awards – Albury, NSW www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia. com.au

November 26-28 SITEVI – Montpellier, France www.en.sitevi.com

2020 Feb

February 9-12 World Congress on Oils & Fats – Sydney, Australia www.wcofsydney2020.com

Advertiser index Client

Page

Pieralisi Eclipse Enterprises Australia Modern Olives Thunderbolt’s Olives/Gwydir Grove NSW DPI Oil Testing Service Ledgard Pruning NSW DPI

50

2 5 7 9 13 14 15

Client

Olive Oil Packaging Service Australian Olive Association CropLogic National Harvesters Hastings Data Loggers Braud Australia

Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • September 2019 • Issue 113

Page

17 19,51 39 41 46 51

efit Member Ben

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So 1st year membership benefit = $494 Peak Industry Body – Advocacy and Representation – Your voice to Government ✓ Australian Standard

for Olive oil and olive pomace oil AS 5264-2011

✓ Australian

International Olive Awards

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management

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✓ AOA Facebook page ✓ Tastebook program

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Awareness & Education Campaigns – Everyday, Fresher Tastes Better!

and reporting and seminars

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marketing merchandise

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communications – Olivegrower & Processor, Friday Olive Extracts, Olivebiz

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The Australian Olive Association is the prescribed industry body representing all olive growers, certified importers and service providers in Australia since 1995.

JOIN TODAY and take advantage of the many member benefits and services.

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