Olivegrower & Processor

The secrets to Terra Creta’s 13% growth

2013 January

AOA expo/conference review Awards Mechanical harvesting for table olives New Zealand conference 2013

Contents

In this issue...

Incorporating Australian Olive Industry Journal Published by Ryan Media Pty Ltd Publisher Hartley Higgins General Manager Elizabeth Bouzoudis Editorial Gerri Nelligan Advertising Chas Barter sales@olivegrower.com.au Production Sandra Noke Subscriptions A one-year subscription (six issues) is $49.50, and includes a copy of the 2012 Australian and New Zealand Olive Industry Directory. Subscriptions commencing July 1st 2011 will receive a copy of the 2012 Australian and New Zealand Olive Industry.

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January 2013 Issue 87

News Kailis Organic finds new owners

4

EVOO explained in new ACCC Shopper app

4

Olive pomace a breeding source for stable fly

8

Awards Armonia – A.NZ.SA International Olive Oil Competition

10

Perth Royal Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition

12

South West Olive Association

13

Olives SA and Royal Adelaide Show 2012 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition

14

2012 AOA EVOO and Table Olives Competition

16

Harvesting Developing mechanical harvesting for California black ripe table olives

17

Expo Basic and practical proves a popular conference theme

24

Field day meets aim of grove improvement

26

Pruning Pruning olive trees – part 2

27

New Zealand 2012 New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards

28

Taking Control of the Four Ps – ONZ Conference 2013

29

Business How Terra Creta makes and markets olive oil

30

Surviving the storm: resolving disputes and getting on with business

33

Olives & health Health round-up

34

What’s on/Advertiser index

37

Olive marketplace

38

Website www.olivebiz.com.au ISSN 1448-5486 Conditions Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor/publishers; information is published in good faith and we do not accept responsibility for damage which may arise from any possible inaccuracies. All rights reserved, none of the contents may be used in any other media without prior consent of the publishers.

Published by Ryan Media Pty Ltd.

*****CORRECTION***** Marcelo Berlanda The October 2012 edition of the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor magazine published an article titled “Objectives and methods of pruning – Pt1”.

Marcelo Berlanda was credited as the author of this article.

The assertion that Mr Berlanda was the author of the article is incorrect, and the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor apologises for any damage or inconvenience that this error may have caused to Mr Berlanda.

Cover: Combining traditional grove practices with high-tech processing has been a winning formula for Cretan producer Terra Creta.

Issue 87 • January • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 3

News

Gerri Nelligan

Editor

There’s a new year ahead, which hopefully will be a far better one for our industry. 2012 was a tough one: crops were down dramatically across much of both countries – many producers simply didn’t harvest – costs went up, and politics seemed to stand in the way of many of our efforts to move the industry forward. We even lost some producers and services to the overwhelming challenges of the current financial climate.

But we didn’t let it beat it us – “when the going gets tough ....” and all that. Industry wide, efforts continued to be made throughout 2012 to ensure a better future for our industry.

And we had some real breakthroughs: the draft olive oil standard became the Australian Standard, and has helped make headway into reforming the poor labelling practices

we’ve battled for years; table olives got a Code of Practice, production manual and has a standard on the way; the Wagga Wagga testing laboratory gained the highest marks among IOC accredited laboratories world-wide.

And we made some really great oils, and sensationally good table olives, which made their mark on both national and international stages. Across both countries, producers have won accolades in Europe, the US, Japan – and at home, of course – which have raised the profile of Australian and New Zealand EVOOs across the world. We’ve shown that Southern Hemisphere quality is as good as that of the traditional oilproducing countries – and in some cases, better.

It’s a good basis for 2013. Sure, we did it tough last year, but that poor harvest means hopefully we’ll have a great one this year – if the weather Gods are kind. As an industry we’ve learned a lot, and pulled together to share information and practices to improve what we make and the way we do it. Let’s use it and keep jumping those hurdles; the finishing line’s in sight.

All the best for 2013 – Editor Gerri Nelligan and the OG&P team.

Kailis Organic finds new owners After nearly a year of market offering and negotiations, Western Australiabased Kailis Organic Olive Groves has new ownership. A group of Chinese and Australian investors purchased the business in late September for more than $15 million, after an initial sale opportunity by expressions of interest was unsuccessful.

Australia’s largest organic olive oil producer, Kailis went into voluntary administration in November 2011 with debts of $18 million, following an unsuccessful capital-raising bid.

The business was listed for sale not long afterwards, including the groves, processing plant and water licences.

Receivers KordaMentha said the business had been sold “as a going concern” – a positive outcome for the company’s workers in particular, with all continuing to be employed under the new ownership structure.

AOA CEO Lisa Rowntree confirmed that the sale had gone through and said she has already had communication with the new owners.

“While it’s terribly sad for the Kailises,

and the organic industry in particular will miss the guidance and experience of Mark Kailis, overall it’s a positive outcome,” she said.

“The new owners want to be actively involved in the industry, and with the AOA board, so I’ll be making it my business to head over and see them in the near future.

“They’re currently working out where they fit and what they want to do, and have already made connections and alliances. So I think it’ll be good for the industry.”

EVOO explained in new ACCC Shopper app In December last year the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released the free ACCC Shopper app for Apple and Android smart phones and tablets, aiming to provide instant advice for consumers while shopping.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said the ACCC Shopper app was created to assist shoppers confused about their rights in regard to simple disputes over returns, refunds or replacements.

It answers commonly asked questions about refunds, returns, warranties, and lay-buys, such as ‘What do I do if a product is faulty?’ and ‘What happens

if I don’t have a receipt?’, and allows consumers to store photographs of receipts as proof of purchase on their Smartphone or tablet at the point of sale.

The app also explains the steps to take when enforcing consumer rights regarding faulty products, while its ‘My items’ feature allows consumers to set reminders for when lay-buys are due and the expiry date for warranties and gift vouchers.

Most significantly for our industry, however, the app explains common labelling terms like ‘Made in Australia’ and ‘Extra Virgin olive oil’. The ACCC

4 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

said it is aware that consumers often rely upon Country of Origin labels or credence claims such as Extra Virgin when shopping. The app aims to help consumers understand these terms and thus ensure that they get what they intend to buy.

The inclusion of these terms in the app builds on the ACCC’s consumer guides on country of origin and olive oil classifications, launched in October.

The free ACCC Shopper app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and the Android Market by searching for ‘ACCC Shopper’.

News

French university introduces diploma in olive oil Olive oil education is spreading across the world, but has to date generally focused on consumers and the food industry. France has now joined Spain and Italy in offering university-level degree in olive oil.

The 2012 curriculum at France’s Montpellier University saw the introduction of the new Diplôme Universitaire (DU) d’Oléologie, making it the first university in France to offer a university-level olive oil degree. The course is a joint venture of the Association Française Interprofessionelle de L’Olive (Afidol) and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Montpellier, and aims to increase the number of olive oil professionals in the country.

Developed by Professor of chemistry Alain Blaise, also in charge of oenology at the university, the course has a strong emphasis on the science and technique of making and consuming olive oil.

Providing improved proficiency and expertise among professionals, these ‘hot topics’ are also seen as an important

part of educating the general public, and vital for promoting, monitoring and maintaining standards in French olive oil production.

Topics include: • techniques involved in the production of table olives, olive oil and olive-based products • composition and analyses of olive oil • organoleptic assessment of olives and olive oil • hygiene, security of installations and quality maintainance • olive oil regulations in France and abroad • economy and marketing • nutrition and health.

The 220-hour course includes input from visiting international experts, along

with field trips to olive groves and mills, with classes held weekly over six months.

Enrollments are limited to 20 participants and 90% of the inaugural intake were grove owners – including several longterm AOC olive oil producers keen to increase their practical and scientific knowledge.

The diploma also allows graduates to take part in organoleptic judging panels and gives them ‘expert’ status, which has seen at least one launch a new business offering informative courses for olive oil enthusiasts.

Note: the word oléologie was invented in France to describe the study of olive oil.

Source: www.oliveoiltimes.com.

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Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 5

News

Coriole’s “perfect” Kalamata South Australian olive producer Coriole Vineyards showed they’re a cut above the rest at this year’s AOA National Table Olive Awards, taking the coveted title of Best of Show. The McLaren Vale producer was awarded top marks of 30/30 for its Kalamata Jumbo Olives, earning both the 2012 competition’s only Gold Medal and the ‘Holy Grail’ achievement of a perfect score.

In all, South Australian olives gained more than half the medals awarded on the night, taking home eight of the total 17 medals awarded to producers across the country.

Coriole’s achievements at the national awards follow closely on the heels of its outstanding results in the 2012 Olives South Australia & Royal Adelaide Show Table Olives Competition, announced on October 18. It won three out of the four classes judged – Green, Black, and Kalamata – scoring the only Gold Medals for each, and gained Silver and second place in the fourth class.

Coriole owner Mark Lloyd said they were thrilled to get such amazing results this year.

“We’ve always had a strong show record but to get awards across all those styles was pretty unprecedented – especially with such a strong field in the local show,” he said.

“You get a very up and down result with olives, so it’s great when you can pull it all together and get the picking right, the fermenting right and get really good olives. This makes it our fifth consecutive Best of Show in the local awards, and to get the national as well is just fantastic.”

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Coriole owner Mark Lloyd accepted his second Table Olives Best of Show Award for 2012 from Royal Adelaide Show General Manager Michelle Hocking at the South Australian awards ceremony.

Coriole weren’t alone in their SA show success either. While the state competition received entries from across the country, all but two medals - and all Gold medals - awarded were for South Australian-produced olives. Whether black, green and flavoured, it appears SA producers know what they’re doing and are doing it well.

And it’s a tough gig. Table olives are assessed by a panel of expert judges on a punishing list of characteristics: flesh texture, olive flavour, acidity, saltiness, residual bitterness, absence of off-flavours and overall flavour balance.

They also have to look good, with additional judging criteria including the absence of blemishes and an appealing colour.

Even stone size comes into consideration on the competition stage.

Lloyd says there are a number of reasons why South Australia produces such great table olives.

“I think the McLaren Vale climate does part of the work for us here. This region just grows really good olives,” he said.

“There’s also probably a slightly longer tradition of doing olives in South Australia, and a bit more of a food tradition here.

“And when you look at the different sectors of the industry, most SA olive producers are small, hands-on producers – there are no really big players in the local olive business. We’re just a little boutique grower and all our product is made by hand, and for just the top end of the market. That means you do things you would never do compared with somebody handling many hundreds of tonnes.

“So it’s a combination of history, climate and the people, and those elements all add up to quality.”

Lloyd said the results are “fantastic” for the state’s producers – and the Australian industry as a whole.

“South Australia already has a reputation for table olives but we’ll certainly be hammering people with the message and getting it out there,” he said.

“Along with the new Olive Standard and production booklet, we’re getting the back-up of a level of knowledge and expertise which will hopefully project us to the forefront – to rival even some of the traditional olive-producing countries.”

6 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

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News

Olive pomace a breeding source for stable fly Entomologist Dr David Cook from the University of Western Australia has been investigating the increasing incidence of stable fly infestation in the Gingin Shire of WA and has found that olive pomace can be a breeding ground for this fly. Dr Cook provided the following information to Olivegrower & Processor, to alert readers with processing facilities to this important issue and the need for action by members of our industry.

Background Following up on several stable fly complaints in the Gingin Shire area, my work led to the inspection of local olive growing properties. I found an unusually high level of stable fly breeding in olive pressing residue (pomace) on the properties.

The residue was about four to five months old.

The property managers have been very co-operative in dealing with the issue as soon as possible as per my advice.

As the incidence is no doubt not one isolated to the Gingin Shire area, I wanted to alert all olive growers with processing facilities of the issue and the need to inspect their residue for stable fly breeding. Maggots/larvae and/or fly pupae will be readily visible in the material if present and spraying of the material with an approved pesticide is essential to ensure that it is not contributing to the stable fly population.

Olive pressing pulp residue (pomace)

As a general practice, the organic residue from olive processing is simply piped out onto the ground and left to dry.

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The process of pressing olives leaves a pulp and seed residue (known as pomace) that is simply pumped out onto the soil nearby to the processing plant, to allow it to dry. It forms a “larval flow” appearance and is generally about 50-60cm thick (Figure 2). This waste pomace is produced for several months and spreading to dry on the ground is a standard method of disposal of the pulp residue across all processing sheds.

This material is quite acidic and ferments as it ages over time, and it has been found to contain significant numbers of fly larvae. The material is left in the open exposed to flies after processing, and splits and dries forming a cracked and crazed surface that is ideal for flies to search and explore and lay eggs on the moist rotting organic material below.

Seasonal monitoring Olive pressing commences around May to June each year in Perth and the resulting organic material is left on the ground for a prolonged period thereafter. This material needs to be regularly monitored from the early spring months to ensure that it does not contribute to stable fly and other nuisance fly development.

During my investigations old and spent pupal cases were found in aged pomace during October 2010, 2011 and again this year, Time of Year

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# SF

# NF

% SF

November 2010

0

2

0

April 2011

0

11

0

May 2011

0

2

0

August 2011

18

0

100

September 2011

3

1

33

October 2011

13

<1

>99%

November 2011

112

0

100%

Table 1. The mean numbers of stable fly (# SF) and other nuisance flies (# NF) flies developing from standard samples of olive pressing pomace left on the ground. The numbers of stable fly are also expressed as a percentage of all nuisance flies developing from each source.

8 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

News

The olive pomace may sit for up to six months exposed to flies before being spread under olive trees as a compost/mulch. As the pomace dries out, cracks and fissures form that flies find highly attractive as a place to explore and lay their eggs away from predators.

indicating that flies are clearly capable of developing from this material. As a result, more intensive sampling was carried out on olive pressing residue from April to November 2011 and the results presented in Table 1.

Inspection While the major breeding period is now over, this is an important issue for olive grower to tackle and confirming evidence of spent pupal cases in remaining pomace deposits can be of assistance in preparing for the coming processing and fly breeding seasons. If any WA growers would like me to inspect their residue, I am happy to help out if they contact me. And while my focus is on the stable fly issue in WA, if growers and/or processors from interstate want to send pictures or even larval/ pupal samples to me, that would also be very useful information.

I hope that I can help olive processors become aware of the potential for their pomace to breed stable flies, and am more than happy to help any industry members with information and advice on how best to manage this organic waste and flies in general.

Stable fly pupae (dormant phase the adult fly emerges from) are red-brown to black in colour and can been seen in the pomace residue. Spent pupal cases (where the fly has already emerged) have a lid popped-off one end of the pupae.

Stable fly Stable fly or dog fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) is a pest of livestock and humans, found around animal enclosures, feedlots, horse stables and the verandahs of rural residences.

Stable flies are also important pests in range or pasture situations, particularly on cattle and horses, as well as goats and sheep.

Stable fly is generally present in large numbers from midspring to mid-autumn, but localised outbreaks can occur in many regions of south-western Australia when conditions are favourable.

Contact details: Dr David Cook, Entomologist (Flies Affecting Humans and Livestock), Centre for Forensic Science, University of Western Australia, Mobile: 0416181162 or email: dfcook@faculty.uwa.edu.au.

Issue 87 â&#x20AC;˘ January 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor â&#x20AC;˘ 9

Awards

Among the competition’s highest achievers was Rylstone Olive Press, whose accolades included three ‘Single Armonia’ varietal awards. Owner Jayne Bentivoglio (left) accepted the awards from Pilu at Freshwater chef Giovanni Pilu and Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide co-editor Joanna Savill.

Armonia – A.NZ.SA International Olive Oil Competition The inaugural Armonia – A.NZ.SA olive oil competition award ceremony was held in Sydney on 3 December, with presentations carried out by Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide co-editor Joanna Savill.

The first Armonia competition for Southern Hemisphere producers, the event was organised by the International Olive Oil Agency and ALMA - The International School of Italian Cuisine, in collaboration with the International Olive Oil Academy-Australia. Sensory testing was carried out by the Australian Olive Oil Sensory Panel, NSW Department of Primary Industry, Wagga Wagga, led by panel leader Helen Taylor, and the finalist oils were then judged by a panel of chefs from some of Australia’s finest restaurants. The competition was open to all olive growers, olive oil producers, processors and bottlers in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Aiming to promote understanding and consumption of extra virgin olive oil, the competition was run on a ‘grove to plate’ philosophy, bringing producer, chef and consumer together - a philosophy repeated at a showcasing of the winning oils at the Young Chefs’ Showcase Dinner on 18 December. Winners also gain entry into the international final of the ARMONIAALMA Trophy and the selection process for the World’s 100 Most Outstanding Extra Virgin Olive Oils listing.

Major award winners were: Delicate Fruity – 1st: ALTO Olives, ALTO Organic, Australia; 2nd: The Little General, Blend, Australia.

Medium Fruity – 1st: Nolans Road, Robust – Organic Blend, Australia; 2nd: Hidden Valley, Blend, South Africa.

Intense Fruity – 1st: Paringa Ridge, Leontyna - Picual, Australia; 2nd: Varapodio Estate, Gold – South Australia Verdale, Australia.

‘Single Armonia’ Damian Conlan Award 2012 (single varietal oil with most complete and harmonious sensory profile in each variety): • ALTO Olives, ALTO ‘Vividus’, Australia • Kalaparee Olives, Frantoio, Australia • NZ Olive Growers & Exporters Ltd, First Drop, Te Rima/J5, New Zealand • Paringa Ridge, Leontyna Picual, Australia • Rylstone Olive Press, Barnea, Australia • Rylstone Olive Press, Correggiola, Australia • Rylstone Olive Press, Manzanillo, Australia • Varapodio Estate, Gold - SA Verdale, Australia ‘Packaging & Communication’ Award 2012 – 1st: Alto Organic; 2nd: Rylstone Olive Press Olive Oil Processor Award 2012 (olive oil processor from each state producing the greatest number of competition winners, sponsored by Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor): • NSW - Rylstone Olive Press • South Australia - Diana Olives • Victoria - Kyneton Olives • WA - Frankland River Olives ‘Armonie in the Kitchen’, chaired by MasterChef Australia’s Gary Mehigan, was the final segment of the competition, with chefs and cooking enthusiasts preparing dishes using the award-winning extra virgin olive oils.

Highest achievers Among the competition’s highest achievers was NSW producer ALTO Olives, which took out four awards in the highly-contested event. The company’s flagship ALTO Vividus, produced from estate-grown Hardy’s Mammoth, was awarded

10 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Awards

NSW producers ALTO Olives took out four awards in the A.NZ. SA competition. Owners Robert Amstrong and Westerly Isbaih (centre) celebrated their success at thepresentation with Pilu at Freshwater chef Giovanni Pilu, Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide co-editor Joanna Savill and Armonia Olive Oil Competition CEO Mauro Martelossi.

the Damian Conlan ‘Single Armonia’ Trophy for the best EVOO from a single varietal, along with a Grand Mention Diploma in the Intense Fruity category. In addition, the company received the Armonia Packaging Trophy for the newly-released ALTO Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which also achieved top points in the Organic and Delicate Fruity categories.

ALTO’s Robert Armstrong said the accolades were both personally and professionally rewarding for the family-owned company.

“To receive four major citations, celebrating not just the quality of our extra virgin oil but also the design excellence of the overall brand identity, is immensely encouraging for an artisan producer,’ he said.

“The Armonia Awards will be a great boost to both our Australian hospitality and retail trade awareness, and to our planned export marketing drive.”

Also outstanding among the results was Rylstone Olive Press, which achieved three of seven Damian Conlan ‘Single Armonia’ Trophies, for its Barnea, Correggiola and Manzanillo single varietal oils. Rylstone also took second place in the Packaging & Communication Award and received the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor Olive Oil Processor Award 2012 for New South Wales.

Rylstone’s Jayne Bentivoglio said they were proud of all of the awards they received in the competition but particularly the processing award.

“We do try very hard with our standards, and have a lot of other clients who do well in shows with oils that we make for them,” she said.

“I am also proud to be a part of this wonderful competition, which brings chefs and producers together talking about the same high standard of extra virgin olive oil. It’s by far the best competition I’ve ever seen in that context, and also provides a great opportunity for promotion on an international level.”

2013 event The 2013 Southern Hemisphere Olive Oil Championship – Armonia A.NZ.SA. will be held as part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, with a program involving MasterChef’s Gary Mehigan, leading chefs including Peter Gilmore and Giovanni Pilu, Joanna Savill and other Australian and international food and media identities.

Full results are available at www.oliveoilagency.org.

This course will cover all aspects of processing taking into consideration different size operations that exist in Australia.

A full list of what will be covered in this popular workshop is available from the Australian Olive Association Website www.australianolives.com.au Click on Events (across the top) Substantial cost savings for current financial members Bookings essential and places limited

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Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 11

Awards

Perth Royal Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition Chapman River Olives took out the Best WA Oil of Show and Best Oil of Show awards for the second year in a row at the 2012 Perth Royal Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. It was also their second major win for the 2012 harvest, having earlier been named Champion Oil of Show at the 2012 Sydney Fine Food Awards.

The results of the 2012 competition were announced at the annual award presentation dinner, held in September at the Royal Perth Yacht Club. Presentations were made by the president of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA, Hugh Harding.

WA Olive Council president John Wholley congratulated the 70 entrants in the competition, who put forward 125 oils over the five classes. He said the quality of entries remained high, with 32% of entries awarded a silver medal or better. The total medal tally for 2012 was 9 gold, 31 silver and 62 bronze, a result consistent with previous years and an impressive achievement for the industry in a season deemed ‘difficult and challenging’ across much of the country.

Chief judge Richard Gawel once

Mick Ryan of Preston Valley Grove received the award for the Best Flavoured Oil of Show from Hugh Harding, President of the RAS of WA.

again presided over the 19 judges to decide on the winning oils, with other major awards going to Karridale Olive Farm’s St Boniface Cathedral Olio Verde Novella - Best Boutique Oil of Show – and Preston Valley Grove’s Chilli Infused - Best Flavoured Oil of Show.

A special presentation was also made to current WAOC president John Wholley, who is coming to the end of his extended term of five years in the position. Mike Baker presented John with a trophy in acknowledgement of

A beribboned Russell Lewis of Chapman River Olives took both Best WA Oil of Show and Best Oil of Show.

services to the industry during his term of 10 years on the WA Olive Council and his five years as president.

More information: www.oliveswa.com.au.

Hunter Olive Association Show Tender loving care conquered challenging weather for at least one of the winners at this year’s Hunter Olive Association 2012 Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Olive Product Show.

Mornington Peninsula producer Paringa Ridge took the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor prize for Best in Show for its premium label Leontyna Picual EVOO, despite an uncharacteristically wet end to the growing season. They also received the Adina Vineyard & Olive Grove Trophy for the same entry.

Owner Jill Barson said they’ve had a great year with very pleasing results - a pleasant and unexpected surprise given the weather at harvest time.

“When this year’s crop was harvested amid torrential rain, muddy slop and soggy temperaments, we were not hopeful about the flavours and character the ensuing oil would display,” she said.

“So it was a wonderful surprise to receive the Hunter Valley Olive Association’s Best in Show award. The

officials were very kind and described our oil generously.”

Jill and husband Julian then received further honours when Olives South Australia, in conjunction with the Royal Adelaide Show, also awarded Leontyna the Best in Show title for the 2012 southern state competition.

And meanwhile, Paringa Ridge Leontyna made its mark internationally when it was selected from some 1500 oils from across the globe for inclusion in the 2013 Flos Olei guide to the world’s best EVOO. Barson puts their achievements down to a combination of factors and practices, not all of them found in the textbooks.

“The past two years have certainly taught us that good soil and rigorous attention to the plant needs (fertilising, singing and good conversation) pay off in the end,” she said.

“We were overjoyed with our Australian awards, and stand tall and proud alongside three other Australian

12 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

EVOOs in the Flos Olei publication. We congratulate them on their inclusion, as once again we see the oils of the Australian continent do more than hold their own on the world stage.”

Other major awards at the Hunter Valley Show Competition included: The Olive Oil Skin Care Company was awarded the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor Trophy and Prize Pack for the Best Olive Oil Soap of Show for their Olive Oil Goats’ Milk Soap.

Best Commercial EVOO from Hunter Valley fruit and winner of The Olive Centre Trophy was Rosto Pty Ltd. New owners of Brokes Promise Estate, Graeme McDougal and Deborah Richardson, were the winners of the Plasdene Glass-Pak Trophy for most successful Exhibitor of Show, primarily for their excellent range of table fruit.

Organisers said the show was slightly smaller this year but still attracted 85 entries over the 17 classes, a pleasing result in a generally difficult season.

Awards

South West Olive Association Winners of the 2012 SWOA Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition were announced at the awards dinner in Bridgetown on October 20.

Roland and Anne Ritson of Grindon, Boyup Brook, took overall top honours with Best of Show, having also been awarded Best of Class 2 (single grove extra virgin olive oil, production over 200L). No doubt reflecting the difficult year experienced by growers across the country, Grindon received the only two gold awards presented for the 2012 competition.

Other major winners included Best of Class 1 (single grove extra virgin olive oil, production 25-200L) awarded to Stephaney Devaney and Peter Quinby for Bella Ranchez - The Right Stuff, Bridgetown; and Best of Class 4 (flavoured olive oils, production over 25L) awarded to Mick Ryan and Pauline North of Preston Valley Grove, Lowden/Donnybrook.

A total of 34 awards were presented on the night, including two gold, 17 silver and 11 bronze awards. In addition a unique Trophy hand crafted by Pauline North was awarded for Best of Class 1, 2 and 4 and Best of Show. The Best of Show winner also received a one-year subscription to the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor magazine.

The SWOA Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition is run annually by the South West Olive Association (SWOA), which is the only remaining active regional olive oil association in Australia. This year’s competition saw 36 extra virgin olive oils entered by 20 groves from the south west of WA, including Bridgetown, Boyup Brook, Dinninup, Balingup, Donnybrook, Capel, Nannup, Lake Preston, Ferguson Valley, Cowaramup, Gin Gin, Gidgegannup and Chapman Valley.

Judging was conducted by a panel of seven experienced judges, including members of the Perth Royal Show judging panel. Competition co-ordinator David Burt extended thanks to the judges for supporting the event, along with participants, sponsors and the SWOA.

Best of Show was awarded to Roland and Anne Ritson of Grindon, Boyup Brook.

David and Julie Ratnyer accepted the Best of Class 4 award on behalf of winners Mick Ryan and Pauline North of Preston Valley Grove, Lowden/Donnybrook.

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Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 13

Awards

Olives SA and Royal Adelaide Show 2012 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition Winners of the Olives SA and Royal Adelaide Show 2012 Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Table Olive Competition were announced at an awards dinner in October. The competition attracted entries from across the state and further afield, with the top award for Best in Show going to Victoria’s Paringa Ridge for its Leontyna Picual. The Mornington Peninsula produced oil also took Gold and Best of Class in the Boutique Single Estate Grown category,

adding to the accolades received earlier in the year at the Hunter Valley Show.

It’s obviously an exceptional oil, going by the judges’ comments: “Wonderfully complex oil. A mix of ripe and green tomato but with a note of reduced citrus peel. The flavours are generous but there is a lot of subtlety with a wildflower character that burst into the finish. Outstanding persistence of flavour with hints of ginger like pungency complete the oil. “ The chairman of judges in fact described the Leontyna as “a world class Picual” – proof of the dedication to detail and quality in both grove and processing which Paringa Ridge owners Julian and Jill Barson are renowned for. It’s undoubtedly also proof of the increasing quality of Australian-produced oils across the board.

Competition organisers said entry numbers were substantially down on the previous year. This no doubt reflects the extremely difficult year experienced by many growers, and particularly the extremely low crops achieved by the bulk of South Australian producers.

Top results - EVOO

Paringa Ridge’s Melva Jones was thrilled to accept the 2012 South Australian EVOO competition’s Best of Show trophy, awarded to the Mornington Peninsula producer’s Leontyna Picual. The award was presented by RA&HS SA chief operating officer John LePlastrier.

Class 1 - Boutique Single Estate Grown Gold & Best of Class: Paringa Ridge/Leontyna, Picual Gold: Scarett Grove, Frantoio/Pendilino/Leccino.

Silver: Evilo Estate, Verdale/Manzanillo/Frantoio; Paringa Ridge/Leontyna, Frantoio/Lecinno/Koroneiki; Rylstone Olive Press, Barnea/Manzanillo; Rylstone Olive Press, Barnea/Picual; Rylstone Olive Press, Barnea/ Correggiola/Picual.

Class 2 - Maxi Single Estate Grown Silver & Best in Class: Jumbuck Olives, Frantoio/Pendolino Silver: Rosto Grove, Correggiola/Coratina/Koroneiki; Rosto Grove, Manzanillo/Kalamata/Correggiola/Koreneiki.

Class 3 - Multi Estate Grown Silver: Diana Olive Oil, Frantoio/Koroneiki; Redisland Australia, Barnea/Picual/Frantoio; Rylstone Olive Press, Correggiola/EP Blend.

Class 4 - Non Packaged Gold & Best of Class: Nangkita Olives, Frantoio Silver: Nangkita Olives, Luccino.

The 2012 Processor Award for the most consistently performing processor in the show went to the Bovalina Olive Oil Group, making it four years in a row for the Adelaide Plains family-run processing operation. Carmine and Mary Bovalina accepted the award from RA&HS SA chief operating officer John LePlastrier.

Class 5 - Micro Volume Gold & Best of Class: Peter Henning, Frantoio.

Silver: Chesterton Grove, Correggiola; Patrick Moran, Feral; Peter Henning, Correggiola.

Top Gold: Peter Henning, Frantoio Ryan Media Best of Show: Paringa Ridge/Leontyna, Picual.

Processor Award - for the most consistently performing processor in the show: Bovalina Olive Oil Group Ryan Media Best SA Oil in Show: Nangkita Olives, Frantoio.

14 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Awards

2012 Olives SA Table Olive Competition Chief Judge Michelle Wirthensohn said the overall quality of the exhibits in 2012 was improved on the previous year’s entries, most likely due to kinder weather. A total of 19 entries were received, with two disqualified for high pH levels. Entry numbers were down in the Green Plain Olives and Black Plain Olives classes but good for the Kalamata and Spiced and Specially Treated categories.

It was noted that the various judges’ scores were generally close this year, with unanimous agreement for the Best of Show being awarded to the Gold Medal winning Kalamata. Interestingly, it was also decided to award a High Commendation to the Gold medal-winning green olive, which judges described as “an excellent olive in its class”. It was a testament to the efforts of McLaren Vale producer Coriole Vineyards, which entered both of these top-rating olives.

Top table olive results: Best of Show: Coriole Vineyards, Kalamata.

Class 7 - Green Olives, plain whole pitted but not stuffed.

Gold: Coriole Vineyards, Verdale Silver: Eagle Vale Olives, VC13A6 Class 8 - Black Olives Gold: Coriole Vineyards Pty Ltd, Koroneiki Silver: The Australian Olive Company, Koroneiki Class 9 - Kalamata Olives, whole Gold: Coriole Vineyards Silver : Cicada; McNeil K & Kiriakou G; Patlin Gardens; The Australian Olive Company (2) Class 10 - Spiced and specially treated olives including pitted, sliced and stuffed.

Silver: Coriole Vineyards, Kalamata; Eagle Vale

Coriole Vineyards owner Mark Lloyd took home Gold and Best of Show for the McLaren Vale producer’s Kalamata olives, along with Gold and High Commendation for the company’s green olives.

Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards Extra virgin olive oil and table olive producers achieved 76 medals in the 2012 Royal Melbourne FineFood Awards Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flavoured Oil and Table Olives competition.

Victorian producers fared well, taking home of 61 medals - four gold, 19 silver and 34 bronze for EVOOs and, one gold, one silver and two bronze for table olives.

Gold medals were awarded to Lisadurne Hill, Manzanillo Grove, Lighthouse Olive Oil, Alto Olives and Lauriston Olive Oil for their extra virgin olive oils and to Salute Olives and Summerland Olives for their table olives.

Some of the country’s top producers took part in this year’s competition,

with organisers receiving 95 oil entries and 18 table olive entries.

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flavoured Oil and Table Olives category was one of 10 in the 2012 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards, which recognise and celebrate the best produce from across Australia, and was supported by the Australian Olive Association Victoria.

Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 15

Awards

2012 AOA EVOO and Table Olives Competition On October 31, 2013 the Australian olive industry celebrated the best table olives and extra virgin olive oils produced in the country at the annual Awards Presentation dinner, held in Adelaide as part of the two-day Australian Olive Association conference and expo. The awards are an important part of the annual national event and provide well-earned recognition to industry members who work hard to produce the exceptional quality oil Australia is becoming known for.

Best EVOO of Show went to New South Wales producers John and Lorraine Milla from Abilene Grove, while Coriole Vineyards from McLaren Vale in South Australia took the Best Table Olives Of Show award. The Olive Centre’s Grove of the Year Award went to the Victorian Olive Oil Project (VOOP), while other major awards included the Excellence Award for small producers to Andrew and Lyn Jamieson of Golden Creek Olives, Victoria and a special Service to Industry Award, presented to industry consultant Peter McFarlane for his contribution to both the AOA and Olives South Australia.

Chief steward Trudie Michels said 189 entries were received, with Victoria leading the state entry tally at 77. Six of these failed testing or were disqualified. While a 15.2% drop from the 223 entries received in 2011, Michels said this was a “delightful” result given the “average” crop in 2012. Interestingly, exhibitor numbers were identical to 2011, at 101.

The percentage of medals awarded was slightly lower at 75%

Best EVOO of Show went to New South Wales producers John and Lorraine Milla from Abilene Grove

(77% in 2011), the total of 141 including 77 bronze, 47 silver and 17 gold (an increase of two from 2011).

Competition chairman Richard Gawel said there were more gold medals awarded this year as a proportion of total entries, however “average quality was only equivalent to previous years” – a factor he put down to the influence of seasonal variation on production.

Gawel also pointed to a disappointing rise in the average free fatty acid (FFA) level for 2012 to 0.23%, and an average peroxide value of 7.1, higher than the desirable (and achievable) level of 5-6. The average polyphenol level was 274mg/kg, identical to the 2011 figure and in line with the long-term average.

The best of the oils entered for the 2012 competition were, however, described by Gawel as “complex, with distinct olive fruit, and were fresh and lively”.

“Some were as good as I have seen in years,” he said.

Top awards Best of Class 1 Winner - Abilene Grove Best of Class 2 Winner - Mount Zero Olives Best of Class 3 Winner - Cobram Estate Best of Class 4 Winner - Oasis Olives Best of Class 5 Winner - Golden Creek Olives Best of Class 6 Winner - Preston Valley Grove Best of Class 11 Winner - Coriole Vineyards Best of Class 13 Winner - Alto Olives Best of Class 14 Winner - Coriole Vineyards Best of Class 15 Winner - Olivfresh Organic Olives Best of Class 16 Winner - Australian Olive Company The Olive Centre Grove of the Year - Victorian Olive Oil Project (VOOP) Excellence Award (small producers) - Golden Creek Olives Service to Industry Award - Peter McFarlane.

16 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Harvesting

Developing mechanical harvesting for California black ripe table olives Louise Ferguson, Extension Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences; and John Miles and Uriel Rosa, Professor Emeritus Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis; Sergio Castro Garcia, Asst Professor, Department of Rural Engineering, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; W.H. Krueger, E. J. Ficthner, N. O’Connell and P.M. Vossen, University of California Cooperative Extension Farm Advisors, Glenn, Tulare and Sonoma Counties.

With Australian production increasingly moving from oil to table olives, this research provides valuable information for growers keen to ensure both a quality product and financial viability. Our thanks go to head researcher Louise Ferguson, who shared this updated report on the seven-year project with Olivegrower readers.

Introduction California’s table olive industry is built upon the Manzanillo cultivar that is harvested when maturing, but not fully mature. It becomes the ‘California Black Ripe’ table olive through oxidation in processing. Increasingly, California table olive production, with its current combination of rising hand harvest costs and stagnant per ton prices, is not economically sustainable. The industry is currently under 27,000 acres and declining. Hand harvest costs are volatile, often exceeding 50-75% of gross return, crop value has not increased in tandem with harvest labour costs, and competition for pickers has also increased. As with most of California’s horticultural crops, if the table olive industry continues to rely on hand harvesting it is only a matter of time before table olives are no longer produced here. Even if the labour is readily available it is not economically feasible, and in my opinion, declining in skill and efficiency.

The only solution is to develop economically feasible mechanical harvesting. Developing mechanical harvesting depends upon the interaction of the three factors demonstrated in the picture below (Figure 1): first, a harvester that can remove and catch the fruit without economic damage to the crop or tree; second, a tree trained and pruned to facilitate harvesting; third, a “fruit loosener”, an abscission chemical that accelerates the normal ripening process of fruit detachment.

Manzanillo, the major ‘Black Ripe’ processed table olive cultivar, poses specific impediments to mechanical harvesting. Most traditional California table olive trees are large; generally over 18 feet (5.5m) tall with canopies that are 12-18 feet (3.6-5.5m) wide. The fruit is borne on the ends of multiple flexible pendulous shoots in a 2-3 foot (.6-.9m) shell over the entire canopy. Manzanillo olives destined for ‘Black Ripe’ processing are harvested physiologically immature, before the abscission zone, the connection between the fruit and stem, has initiated the decrease in removal force that accompanies fruit maturity. The immature olives can require 1-3 pounds of pull force to remove. Additionally, olives are small, weigh less than 0.5 ounce (15g) and bruise easily.  Figure 1: The principal components of developing mechanical harvesting for tree crops: a harvester, orchard adaptation and an abscission agent to decrease fruit removal force fruit.

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Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 17

Harvesting

Typical traditional California olive tree, with the crop borne on the one-year-old shoots on the outer three feet (.9m) of canopy surface.

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Developing and evaluating mechanical harvesters Developing mechanical harvesting for any tree crop follows the same sequence. First, a successful removal method is developed, or more usually adapted from other crops.

Second, the method is tested to ensure it does not damage the final marketed product or the tree. Third, a mobile platform that holds the driver and a competent catch frame, one that successfully catches and retains the fruit, is built. The final unit is then tested, preferably on trees that have been adapted for the harvester.

The final goal is to determine the final harvester efficiency and the operating parameters of ground speed, acres and tons per hour, and operating costs that make the mechanical harvester more economical than hand harvesting. Assumptions of orchard size and crop yield and value must be incorporated into the final economic analysis. These are based on cost studies developed by the University of California Department of Agricultural Economics.

Generally steps one and two, developing a harvest technology and demonstrating its ability, are accomplished with university research, supported by funding from grower organizations. The third step, fabrication of a mobile harvester with a competent catch frame, is done by the commercial harvester industry. Finally, fabricators and university researchers co-operate in evaluating final harvester efficiency and operating parameters that determine if the harvester is economically feasible.

This sequence of events means that machine development and orchard adaptation must proceed simultaneously. No successful mechanical harvesting of a tree crop has been developed without also modifying orchards. It also means, for mechanical harvesting development projects to be successful two parties must have a compelling economic interest: the grower industry that needs and funds the mechanical harvester development, and the harvester industry that produces and sells the final harvester, or does contract harvesting, or both.

The general process described above is how the University of California Davis Departments of Plant Science, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Food Science and Technology and Agricultural Economics, in co-operation with University of California Co-operative Extension Farm Advisors in Tulare, Glenn and Sonoma Counties and researchers in Spain, Argentina and Portugal co-operated with growers, table olive processors and harvester fabricators in all four countries to develop mechanical harvesting. Funding was supplied by the California Olive Committee, California’s olive growersupported Federal Marketing Order. Our experiments utilized results from California table olive mechanical harvesting research done in the 1960s and 1990s, but the results summarized here cover experiments done from 2006-2012.

As depicted in the gear graphic Figure 1, we simultaneously began investigating all three aspects of mechanical harvesting: harvester development, orchard adaptation and identifying a loosening agent. Significant progress has been made in spite of four industry wide crop failures - 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 - in six years. Overall we have identified two harvesting technologies and their weak and strong points. We have made strong progress on adapting traditional orchards for mechanical harvesting and developing new mechanically harvestable orchards. Our initial experiments demonstrated that developing an effective loosening agent by testing 

18 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

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Harvesting

potential compounds is not an effective approach. Therefore our research currently focuses on improving the mechanical harvesters through engineering and adapting current orchards and developing new orchards.

Evaluating mechanical olive harvesters After determining and eliminating the most limiting factors of fruit or tree damage, evaluating a mechanical harvester for efficiency is straightforward. Matched sets of tree rows are selected. Half the rows are hand-harvested as a fruit quality control and half are mechanically-harvested. Fruit caught in the catch frame is weighed, the ground fruit mechanicallyharvested but not caught in the catch frame is weighed if it appears significant and the fruit remaining in the tree is then hand-harvested. The weight of the fruit in the bin, divided by the weight of all three fractions, determines final harvester efficiency: (olives caught in the harvester catch frame) (olives caught in catch frame) + (olives on ground) + (olives gleaned from the tree) Technically, hand harvesting is the control for harvester efficiency. However, it is difficult to actually follow a hand harvest crew with a second hand harvest crew to get what they did not harvest. Also, the hand harvest crews that harvest after the mechanical harvester are often the same, so essentially they would be their own control. As a compromise, it is assumed what the hand harvest crews harvest in both the control and after the harvester is 100% but observation and random individual tree weights have demonstrated hand harvest crew efficiency ranges from 93-97%.

The fruit quality experimental control for mechanical harvesting is hand harvesting. The olives caught in the catch frame and the olives gleaned from the trees after the mechanical harvesting are submitted for receiving station grade. This is the point at which a grower gets paid, based on quality and condition of the olives. The hand-harvested control and machineharvested olive samples are then processed and evaluated by two panels, a sensory panel for quality and defects, and a consumer panel for preferences. The results of the two panels analyzed together produce what a food scientist calls “drivers of liking”. These are the qualities that make consumers like the olives, and presumably what an industry should strive for. Also, for accurate grower payment it is important to correlate the grade given at a receiving station with the evaluation of the final processed product. If mechanically-harvested olives receive a lower grade due to superficial bruises that do not decrease the quality of a processed olive as determined by sensory and consumer evaluations, receiving station grades should be adjusted to reflect the final use of the olives.

Overall research results: 2006–2012 Olive harvesters Two mechanical harvesting technologies have been identified: commercially available trunk-shaking harvesters adapted from pistachios and prunes, and a prototype canopy contact harvester adapted from commercial wine grape and an experimental jatropha harvester. Both harvesters initially had limiting factors.

The trunk-shaker in Figure 3 damaged trunks by removing bark. The canopy contact harvester in Figure 4 badly bruised the olives. Early experiments determined the damage caused by

Figure 3. Trunk-shakers have better potential for young olive trees with smooth trunks, upright growth habit, short scaffolds and lighter crops.

Figure 4. Canopy contact harvester adapted from wine grape harvesters and a jatropha harvester. Canopy contact harvesters have higher potential efficiencies with hedgerow orchards that can present a hedgerow fruiting wall to the harvester head.

These orchards can be developed from existing orchards, 96-139 trees per acre, with mechanical pruning or developed at higher densities, 202 trees per acre.

trunk-shakers could be decreased with shaker head modifications and changes in operating parameters. However, the interaction of trunk-shaker trunk damage with tree water status needs to be better characterised. Similarly, early experiments identified the causes of the bruised fruit with canopy contact shakers, and determined how to eliminate the damage with machine modifications and changing operating parameters.

Both harvesting technologies have strengths and weaknesses.

Trunk-shakers remove fruit by transmitting shake from the head clamped onto the trunk, up the trunk and out through main scaffold branches and down to the hanging shoots with olives.

The shaking force decreases as distance from the shaker head increases. Trunk-shakers have higher final harvest efficiencies on trees with stiff, upright branches, lighter canopies, and lighter crops with larger fruits. They will probably be more useful on smaller, younger trees. Trunk-shaker efficiency 

20 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

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Harvesting

would benefit more from a chemical loosening agent if the table olive industry continues to rely than canopy contact harvesters, which introduce their removal action directly into the canopy. Canopy on hand harvesting it is only a matter of time contact shakers remove fruit by contacting and agitating the fruit-bearing shoots. They have higher before table olives are no longer produced efficiencies in hedgerow and mechanically-pruned here orchards.

The research thus far has achieved goals one and two: developing harvesting technologies and the harvester clamp and catch frame. Large limbs below removing the first limiting factor, fruit and tree damage. Both 180º from the vertical axis of the tree, those demonstrated trunk-shaker and canopy contact harvesters can effectively to shake-harvest poorly, were also removed. Tree size was remove fruit. The fresh olives receive grades and values reduced with mechanical hedging. This additional preparation equal to those of hand-harvested olives. Neither sensory nor cost approximately $1,000/acre over a two-year preparation consumer panels can distinguish the mechanically-harvested period. from hand-harvested fruit, unless the olives were over-ripe Data collection when harvested. Therefore the most limiting factor, marketable Data was collected from 21-27 September 2012 on 12, processed fruit, has been eliminated. Neither machine damages 112-tree rows. The basic procedure was to run the harvester the tree. continuously, timing the running time for the entire row, and The third major goal with both machines is achieving 80% following the harvester to count and delete unharvestable final harvester efficiency. University of California Agricultural trees due to interfering limbs, count barked trunks and Economist Dr Karen Klonsky estimates that at a mechanical count the number of bins harvested. We took pull strengths harvesting cost of $150/ton, olive growers would need 80% to estimate the fruit removal force of the olives and also final harvester efficiency for economic feasibility. In our 2012 took leaf water potentials, a measure of tree water status, to trials both the trunk-shaking and the canopy contact harvesters determine if tree water status could be correlated with trunk approached this level, with 77% final harvester efficiencies. barking damage. A small subset of trees was hand-harvested The two trials are discussed below. after mechanical harvesting to determine the final harvester efficiency.

The summary evaluation and economic analysis that follows is a summary of the averaged data No successful mechanical harvesting of and not a controlled experiment. Harvest crews a tree crop has been developed without also were unavailable to glean the entire block after the harvester, thus calculated final harvester efficiencies were not obtained. Also, both the harvester and modifying orchards operators greatly improved as the trial progressed.

However, because the trial was so large the averaged results and the economic analysis are reliable, and are I. Commercial evaluation of trunk-shaking harvester for conservative as they also incorporate the earlier lower values.

Manzanillo olives: 2012 In a 2012 commercial harvesting trial, an ENE Inc trunk- Results and discussion shaking harvester achieved approximately 77.5% final harvester Fruit removal force efficiency. While this 40-acre trial did not have a true handFruit removal force of the olives ranged from 0.39–2.13 harvested quality control or post-machine harvest tree gleaning pounds, averaging 1.16 pounds of pull force to remove an for a calculated efficiency, the economics as presented below individual fruit. Interestingly, this value was 40% lower after demonstrate that harvesting young prepared trees with a trunk- mechanical harvesting. shaking harvester is now economically competitive with hand Harvester speed and productivity harvesting.

The harvester averaged 40 seconds/tree, or approximately 90 trees or .5 acre/hour at this 180 tree/acre spacing. As the trial Objective progressed the speed increased markedly, with the lowest time of The objective of this trial was to characterize the operating 53 minutes for 112 trees, averaging 29 seconds/tree or 127 trees/ parameters of the ENE Inc trunk-shaking harvester during a hour at this 180 tree spacing. At this speed the harvester averaged commercial harvest of Manzanillo table olives. The final goal 3 tons/hour, or 20 minutes/ton.

Harvester final efficiency was to determine if the trunk-shaking harvester could harvest Harvester final efficiency is based upon a small hand-harvested fruit more quickly and economically, without fruit or long-term subset of trees and visual observations. Based on this harvested tree damage, than hand pickers. subset and visual evaluations of the trees, harvest efficiency ranged from 65-85% efficiency and averaged 75-77.5% efficiency.

Materials and methods Fruit quality Orchard preparation Fruit quality with this ENE Inc harvester has been demonstrated This mature 40-acre Manzanillo orchard was planted in an in multiple experiments at Nickles Soils Laboratory to be east-west orientation at 180 trees/acre. In 2011 and 2012 the statistically insignificant from that of hand-harvested olives. In orchard was prepared for trunk-shaker mechanical harvesting this trial the mechanically-harvested fruit averaged 95% suitable by hand pruning to remove limbs that would interfere with for canning.

22 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Harvesting Tree damage and barking, and correlation with the economics ... demonstrate that tree water status An average of 7% of the trees were barked and < harvesting young prepared trees with a 1% of the trees had branch breakage. The barking was repaired immediately and can be inspected for trunk-shaking harvester is now economically damage next season. The broken branches were all competitive with hand harvesting branches at lower angles that should be removed.

A limited attempt to correlate tree water status with barking demonstrated values lower than -20 bars, Advisor Emeritus, Glenn County), then a crew of 30 pickers at therefore less negative, did increase barking damage. However, 10 hours in a day could harvest 30 tons - 7.5 acres at 4 tons/ these results are very preliminary and should be viewed with acre and $400/ton - for $12,000 minimum. At the conservative caution. estimate of $200/ton, the trunk-shaker could harvest the same Future pruning 30 tons at 77.5% efficiency for $4,650 in eight hours. In this Many tree canopies touched the harvester catch frame deck trial the grower received an average of $1,005/ton, or $23,617.50 wings, decreasing trunk-shaker efficiency. Future pruning gross for 23.25 tons of mechanically-harvested olives minus preparation should include skirting the trees to at least 4 feet $4,650 for mechanical harvesting. He nets $18,967.50 gross, (1.2m). Alternatively, the catch frame deck wings could be vs receiving $30,150 gross for 30 tons of hand-harvested lowered. Also, lowering the trees with mechanical topping will olives minus $12,000 for picking to net $18,150 gross for decrease the amount flying over the catch frame deck wings. hand-harvested olives. For 30 tons in the field, mechanically Economic analysis harvesting at 77.5% efficiency results in a positive difference of The harvester contractor, ENE Inc, proposed a price of $150/ $817.50 total: $18,967.50 gross net for machine harvested olives ton for harvesting, or $400/hour minimum. At the average minus $18,150 gross net for hand-harvested olives.

3 tons/hour achieved in this trial, the final cost was $134/ If the fact is that pickers in reality harvest 93-95% of the harvested ton. However, this cost does not include hauling and crop in the tree, not the 100% assumed in this calculation, this associated contract harvester costs, such as the labour to follow comparison is conservative and cost of mechanically harvesting the harvester repairing barked trees, cutting out unharvested or olives at 77.5% efficiency is economically competitive. broken branches to improve harvester efficiency and crew field Additionally, as trees are further pruned during harvest to support such as sanitary facilities. Therefore, an estimate of remove branches that do not harvest, mechanical harvesting $200/harvested and delivered ton is conservative. At this price efficiency will improve. mechanical harvesting is competitive with 2012’s average hand harvesting at $400/ton.

Conclusions for trunk-shaking harvester efficiency vs hand Logistically, it is hard to compare hand harvest crews with harvesting machines, as crew size, crop load and tree spacing parameters These results, an averaged summary of a commercial harvest can change the results. Therefore we will compare tonnage in progress, demonstrate that trunk-shaker harvesters are harvested for pickers versus the trunk-shaker. If it is accepted economically and logistically competitive with hand labour at � that the best hand-picker can harvest one ton - 50 x 40-pound 77.5% final removal efficiency.

(18kg) buckets – in a 10-hour day (William H. Krueger, Farm We’ll bring you part 2 of this comprehensive research report, commencing with the second harvesting trial, in the March edition of Olivegrower & Processor.

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www.pellenc.com.au Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 23

Expo/conference review

Basic and practical proves a popular conference theme Practicality ruled the stage at this year’s AOA National Olive Industry Conference, held in conjunction with the annual Trade Exhibition at West Lakes, South Australia. Guided by feedback from an industry survey, the 2012 conference went ‘back to basics’, aiming to provide delegates with information and advice to assist with quality and viability during the current challenging industry times.

AOA CEO and conference organiser Lisa Rowntree said the ‘Back to Basics’ theme for the conference provided an opportunity to source this year’s pool of presenters closer to home than in previous years.

“Given the practical bent to the topics relevant to this year’s theme, we were able to draw on the immense expertise that already exists in the Australian olive industry. Nearly all the speakers were from Australia,” Rowntree said.

“The notable exception was Robbie Elsom, an Australian living and working in China, who was approached to talk to delegates about exporting into China.

“The quality of speakers was again very high, and delegates surveyed at the event indicated that they found the information to be very beneficial.

“The benchmarking workshop conducted by Paul Challis in particular was very well received, and stands us in good stead to develop benchmarking criteria for dissemination in 2013. At this stage we’re looking to share the outcomes of that process at the 2013 conference in Tasmania.”

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The benchmarking workshop conducted by Paul Challis was very well received, and sparked lively discussion among the delegates.

Rowntree said their decision to include Elsom’s exporting presentation was also a popular one.

“With the local market so challenging at present, more growers are looking for opportunities to export their products but are often daunted by the technicalities involved,” she said.

“So it’s not surprising that delegates were keen to take advantage of the offer made by Robbie Elsom to help them navigate the complexities of exporting to China. He’s since reported that many growers have made contact with him and he’s helping quite a few of them.”

The event also saw the launch of a number of new industry resources. The Australian Table Olive Standard, Table Olives Supporting Manual and the Table Olives HACCP template for signatories, were released at the event. The documents are the culmination of many months of work by the National Table Olive Committee, led by industry consultant Peter McFarlane, and provide valuable guidance for the increasing number of growers moving from oil to table olive production.

Equally important as tools for oil producers are the report Second Oil Extraction in Australia by Pablo Canamasas, production technical manager at Boundary Bend, and The Effect of Storage Conditions on EVOO Quality by Jamie Ayton, head of Industry & Investment NSW’s edible oil research program. These were also launched at the event and copies of all documents made available to the delegates.

2012 trade expo The national trade expo saw 29 exhibitors take their products and services to West Lakes to present to conference delegates.

Rowntree said that while exhibitor numbers were down, it was not unexpected given the current industry challenges.

“There were quite a few less exhibitors than in 2011, which is likely due to the fact that olive growers are not spending money and therefore suppliers are feeling the pinch,” she said.

“It’s generally been a really bad year for olives and many in the industry are struggling. So we’re very appreciative for the level of support we did receive from exhibitors this year, as without that support we simply wouldn’t be able to hold the event.

24 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Expo/conference review

“The same goes for our award sponsors, who generously support the industry awards – many of them year after year.

And of course we remain very grateful for the backing of the Rural Industries Research Development Corporation, the major sponsor of this year’s event. The Australian Olive Association would like to sincerely thank RIRDC for their ongoing support and belief in the Australian olive industry.”

2013 conference heads to Hobart Now it’s on to planning for the 2013 event, which will be held at Wrest Point Casino in Hobart, Tasmania.

“Hobart will be a great venue for 2013, and will give people the chance to combine the conference/trade expo and a break with their family. There’s so much to see and do there, and we’re organising a program which also includes activity options for family members,” Rowntree said.

“There’s been an enthusiastic response from many suppliers and, while we realise a number of others won’t follow us across, we’re working hard with the venue to make it a successful event.

“In particular, we’re working through issues that have been raised with us about catering and how we organise that. We have to consider both the costs involved to delegates for the provision of catering and the preference for open public access to the exhibitor area, and find a way of organising it which is viable and fair to all involved.

“We’re certainly focussed on ensuring the greatest possible visitor access for exhibitors at next year’s event.”

We’ll keep you updated on the 2013 event as further details are announced.

The event saw the launch of a number of new industry resources, including the reports Second Oil Extraction in Australia by Pablo Canamasas and The Effect of Storage Conditions on EVOO Quality by Jamie Ayton, head of Industry & Investment NSW’s edible oil research program. Jamie celebrated the launch with RIRDC’s Alison Saunders.

Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 25

Expo/conference review

The field day was organised by The Olive Alliance, represented by (from left) Marcello Berlanda – OliveTec, Amanda Bailey - The Olive Centre and Damian Crowe – Agromillora.

Field day meets aim of grove improvement Many delegates at the 2012 national gathering also took part in a field day organised by The Olive Alliance – Agromillora Australia, OliveTec and The Olive Centre.

Nearly 50 growers from across Australia and New Zealand took part, travelling to four venues in the Waikerie region for a program covering a diverse range of topics.

“It was an opportunity to show that the industry is still dynamic and that there are opportunities that may be unrealised by many growers – from grove management practices to marketing your product,” organiser Amanda Bailey said.

“Seeing living examples of different practices really opened up people’s eyes to the fact you can do things in lots of different ways – and that they haven’t tried everything. They also learned that you can save money by improving efficiency.”

Bailey said the SHD and marketing sessions were keenly embraced.

“We really covered super high density – viewed SHD groves, learned about the set up and how to manage it, including nutrition, and talked about the mechanical aspects. We wanted to give people a complete overview,” Bailey said.

“We also did a fair bit on marketing.

One of the venues has a shop, Illalangi Store, where they sell all their own

products. It’s a really successful business and growing in leaps and bounds, so it was a great example of what people can do.

“It takes passion and drive to keep pushing forward in business but you can tell that the owner, Keryn Gorman, really loves it. It was obvious in the attention to detail in both the store and her products – and in business, it’s that attention to detail that makes all the difference.”

Bailey said they made the most of the time they had, trying to pack as much information as they could into the day.

“On the bus I did a talk about the fundamentals of marketing, and all the different areas that contribute to marketing. Now they have a definition of marketing; they understand what it is so now they can do something about it. Sometimes people hold their own business back because they’re too scared to take any action – and that’s because they haven’t really been exposed to marketing in any practical sense.

“They really just need a hand in getting started. Some on the trip believed they couldn’t market their product but they could tell me all about olive oil and what’s so good about it – and that’s marketing. They’ve all got the ability and know-how, they just need a bit of confidence.”

26 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Keryn Gorman’s Illalangi Store gave field day participants the opportunity to see an olive business that’s not only successful, but growing in leaps and bounds, despite the current industry challenges.

Delegates gave positive feedback on the day, having gained new ideas they could take back to their groves, and all said they could improve one part of their grove or marketing. Bailey says that meant the organisers achieved their aim.

“We wanted to help people improve their business in some way, so we certainly got the outcome we set out to achieve - proactively trying to resolve issues being experienced in the industry,” she said.

“Field days are great. They provide a great opportunity for sharing knowledge and information, and also to talk about problems and share solutions.

It’s in the flesh and everyone’s very open: any questions put out there were answered, and those queries were really forthcoming.”

The Olive Alliance will be running future field days in other states. Contact Amanda at The Olive Centre for more information.

Pruning

Correction The October 2012 edition of the Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor magazine published an article titled “Objectives and methods of pruning – Pt1”. Marcelo Berlanda was credited as the author of this article.

The article was in fact part one of this article, written by Brian Chatterton and titled “Pruning olive trees”. Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor apologises to Mr Chatterton for the error and any inconvenience caused.

Pruning olive trees In part 2 of his article on pruning, industry expert Brian Chatterton looks at the importance of training and the objectives and methods of the various stages of pruning an olive grove.

by Brian Chatterton From The Mediterranean Garden

Training = efficient harvest and better crops Once the trees have reached their optimum canopy volume for the environmental conditions, it is likely yields could start declining if the trees are not well pruned. This is due to the fact that the inner part of the canopy does not receive sufficient sunlight, which causes defoliation, resulting in a low leaf-towood ratio.

If the tree grows above its optimum size, it also creates serious problems for the harvesting machines. The tree becomes too high and too wide for the machines, it has thick branches that can cause damage to the picking heads and also reduces the removal efficiency of the machine, slowing harvesting speed.

Fact: to produce fruit, olive trees need to grow and produce new, horizontal branches each year. It is horizontal and downward hanging shoots that produce the best crop. It is here where pruning becomes a very useful management tool.

Overall, pruning helps increase fruit size, oil yield, light interception and leaf-to-wood ratio, it promotes new growth of fruiting wood, and reduces water and fertiliser requirements.

The three stages of pruning Tree training Objectives: to achieve an early start to production with higher yields, an increased number of production years and higher fruit quality. Also to prepare the trees for the type of harvester that is going to be used on the grove.

Training takes place during the first three years of the tree life.

During the first year minimum pruning is required (provided the trees come with a suitable shape from the nursery) and only lower and vigorous branches competing with the leader should be removed. The aim is to encourage a straight vertical trunk with horizontal branches coming out. Water shoots must be removed to stop competition for water and nutrients.

In the second and third year remove lower branches below 1000mm. This allows a good trunk for the tree shaker to operate on. This must be done gradually - “Always keep in mind that if we prune too hard it is because either we came too late or because we do not know what to do”.

There must be a balance between what is taken out and what is left on. Removing too much canopy has a negative effect on the tree by removing photosynthetic area. This sets the tree back for a while until it starts growing again.

Light pruning entails taking only a small amount of foliage (a couple of small branches), thereby not affecting tree balance.

That is why it can be done from May until the end of August.

By undertaking heavier pruning in this process, and taking a

large amount of foliage, we would promote a stronger reaction from the tree. This makes it susceptible to frost damage, therefore heavier pruning in areas where frost is common should be delayed until the end of September. If the weather is warmer, that could come forward to the beginning of the month.

Tree training not only involves light and heavy pruning but also tree tying and skirting.

Production Objective: this type of pruning is performed on mature trees once they have reached full size. It aims to balance the tree to obtain uniform and constant production every year.

When trees are young there are a larger number of nonproductive branches because those branches are actively growing. Once they have reached their potential they stop growing and start producing fruits. After a while those branches hanging down are exhausted and stop producing, therefore they should be removed to encourage new growth and renew the tree.

Production pruning should be undertaken during the period of maximum dormancy in the olive tree. That is during the winter from May to August.

Post-harvest (cleaning) Objective: to clean up large broken branches left after the harvesters have gone through the grove. This can be avoided by spraying the trees with copper after harvest and waiting until spring to take the damaged wood out.

Brian Chatterton has more than 20 years of olive industry experience, growing olives and producing extra virgin olive oil in the hill country of Umbria in central Italy. Brian is the author of a number of olive publications, two of which are now available as ebooks: ‘Growing olives for quality oil’ – purchase code B006LMGTII - and ‘Inside the olive oil jar’ – purchase code B007W57K9A. Both are valuable references for olive and oil producers alike, and can be sourced through the Amazon Kindle Store at www.amazon.com.

Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 27

New Zealand

2012 New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards Robinson’s Bay Olives from Akaroa received the coveted Best in Show award at the 2012 New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Awards for their Robinson’s Bay Grove Blend, lauded by the judging panel of six trained and experienced international and New Zealand olive oil tasters as a “full bodied olive oil, elegant with a warm finish and well balanced”. Owners Chris and Annette Moore also took home the Best in Class trophy for Commercial Medium Blend and the only Gold Medal awarded in the 2012 competition.

Best of Show in the Boutique Category (production <100L) was awarded to Auckland producers Heather and Christopher Seel for their McGiven Valley Olive Grove Medium Blend, described by judges as “a big oil, intense and herby with good balance.”

Both Robinson’s Bay and McGiven Valley have been consistent medal winners at previous Olives New Zealand Awards.

The Best Label Award, sponsored by mrlabels, went to Martinborough’s Juno Olives, owned by Ian and Karen Juno.

Chris and Annette Moore received the Andy Rosanowski Memorial Trophy for Best in Show from Goran Erdevecki (centre) of GEA Westfalia.

They also took home the Best in Class trophy for Commercial Medium Blend and the only Gold Medal awarded in the 2012 competition.

Medals this year were spread across New Zealand’s growing regions, with 11 going to Wairarapa, nine to Auckland, seven to Waiheke Island, four to Northland, three each to Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay, and one each to Kapiti, Canterbury and Nelson.

Olives NZ EO Gayle Sheridan said the awards reflected the 2012 harvest in general.

“We didn’t have a good year – the weather generally wasn’t kind to olive growers – and that really held us back,” she said.

“But while it was a trying year, we did have some great oils, and as an industry we’ve learned a lot of lessons. So now everybody’s really focused on the aspects you can control: how to improve quality and quantity in the grove, how to improve processing, and then to create an environment where people are clamouring for our oils.”

Full awards results are available on the Olives New Zealand website: www.onz.org.nz.

Heather Seel (left) received the COSPAK Best Boutique Trophy from Alison van Winkel of COSPAK, awarded for the Auckland producer’s McGiven Valley Olive Grove Medium Blend.

Jo Holmes of Arthur Holmes Ltd presented the mrlabels Best Label Award to Ian Juno of Juno Olives, Martinborough.

Rangihoua Estate triumphs at Easter Show Olive Oil Awards The 2012 Auckland Easter Show Olive Oil Awards were triumphant for Waiheke Island producer Rangihoua Estate, which took out the Supreme Champion Award with their Waiheke Blend extra virgin olive oil. They also won the Easter Show Logan Campbell Trophy and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Supreme Medal.

Hawkes Bay producer Telegraph Hill was another which made its mark in the awards, taking top awards in both the Table Olives and Olive Tapenade classes.

The annual Easter Show Olive Oil Awards is a consumerfocussed competition, which judges only extra virgin olive oils with production of at least 50 litres, from fruit grown in New Zealand and currently available for sale in New Zealand.

Judges for 2012 included food industry consultant specialising in oils and fats Dr Laurence Eyres, olive oil researcher and Associate Professor Marie Wong from Massey University, and food importer and distributor Jacqui Dixon of Sabato.

A total of nine Silver and 12 Bronze medals were awarded this year, a decrease on previous competitions, which organisers say was probably associated with the fickle weather experienced by many producers during harvesting.

Champions in each award class were: • Class 1, Delicate: Rangihoua Waiheke Blend, Waiheke Island • Class 2, Medium: Chapel Olive Oil Frantoio, Northland • Class 3, Intense: Taruna Estate, Silverdale • Class 4, Infused: Esk Valley Olives Garlic, Hawkes Bay • Class 5, Table Olives: Telegraph Hill Kalamata, Hawkes Bay • Class 6, Olive Tapenade: Telegraph Hill, Hawkes Bay The winning oils will be displayed at the 2013 Easter Show.

For the complete listing go to: www.eastershow.co.nz.

28 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

New Zealand

Taking Control of the Four Ps – ONZ Conference 2013 Details of the Olives New Zealand Conference 2013 have been announced, and it’s set to be another great opportunity for knowledge building and sharing. Being held in Auckland on March 16-17, the theme of the conference is: Taking Control of the Four P’s - Productivity, Processing and Promotion, which should result in Profitability - areas identified as critical for the success of the NZ olive growing industry.

ONZ executive officer Gayle Sheridan said the Saturday program will focus on Productivity and Promotion.

“We need to get olive crops increased to a world standard size and be able to maintain this crop load on an annual basis.

We also need to raise awareness about the excellence of New Zealand EVOO and have the public insisting on the local product rather than buying inferior imported products,” she said.

The Sunday will then offer two options: hands-on Productivity at Simunovich Olive Estate or Processing at the Sudima Airport Hotel.

“At Simunovich Olive Estate there will be a wide range of exhibitors who can advise on and demonstrate the equipment and products you need to increase your Productivity, along with workshops in the grove with hands-on tutorials on pruning, harvesting equipment and spraying,” Sheridan said.

“Delegates will also be able to see how Simunovich has diversified their product range.”

“Meanwhile, the Advanced Processing Course at the Sudima Hotel will focus on how best-practice processing will give you the best quality and quantity of oil from your olives. This course is an absolute must for anyone with an olive press or looking to buy one, and will allow growers to learn how processing practices impact on their product.

“The excellent presentations and exhibitors will extend knowledge of the olive industry and provide valuable pointers for improving both grove performance and oil quantity and quality.

The 2013 presentations will include: Reality vs Romance: Tree Husbandry Principles – presented by Stuart Tustin, Science Group Leader with Plant and Food Research with responsibility for Crop and Fruit Production Systems and Sustainable Production.

Stuart’s research includes physiological and environmental regulation of fruit development, productivity of tree fruit crops, intensive orchard production systems, regulation of fruit quality, orchard canopy architecture and planting systems design.

Stuart will present on Canopy Management: why/how/when to prune and grove hygiene.

The Olive Grove Production Cycle – presented by Sjef Lamers, Principal of Sustainable Nutrition, whose work with the olive industry includes nutrition, soil, climate and site selection. Sjef will cover topics including physiology for olive fruit production (growth, flowering and pollination, fruitset and fruit development) and influences in the production cycle (climates, pests, diseases, deficiencies and tree management).

Plant Pathology and Diseases: Managing Pests – presented

by Monika Walter, a scientist with Plant and Food Research specialising in plant pathology and diseases. Monika will look at the major diseases affecting olive trees (Peacock Spot, Anthracnose, Cercosporiose), pests (birds and scale) and the impact of climate (drought, frost, hail and snow), discussing how to prevent, detect and treat, including the importance of with-holding periods.

The social side will also be well covered, with a Happy Hour on the evening prior to the conference, hosted by GEA Westfalia, and the Conference Dinner on the Saturday night.

“We look forward to welcoming new and former participants to Auckland next March, and invite all interested industry members to join us – and spoil themselves with an enjoyable weekend away from home before Harvest 2013 starts,” Sheridan said.

2012 New Zealand Gourmet Oil Competition Waiheke Island producer Rangihoua Estate received the top honour of Best in Show for its Waiheke Blend EVOO at the 2012 New Zealand Gourmet Oil Competition. The win backed up Rangihoua’s earlier Supreme Champion award at this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Rangihoua is a proudly 100% New Zealand owned and operated family business established on Waiheke Island off the Auckland coast in 1997.

Planting of the grove was commenced by owners Colin Sayles and Anne Stanimiroff in 1996.

Waiheke has been described as “a

little Mediterranean jewel”, on average two or three degrees warmer than Auckland and with around 30% less rainfall. These factors make it perfect for both olive and grape growing, the micro-climate providing the long, hot dry summer essential for ripening.

Over 40 entries were received for this year’s competition, open to New Zealand produced olive and other oils and judged by a panel of independent food industry experts, with 4 Gold, 7 Silver and 12 Bronze medals awarded.

Other Golds were awarded to Evergreen Olive Estate’s Koroneiki Blend EVOO and Northland Man O’ War EVOO.

Judges were impressed with the overall quality of entries, and commented in particular on the emergence of “a New Zealand style of oil”. On the other hand, they also praised the country producers for the varietal characteristics of their oils, with “examples ranging from the most delicate, mineral-driven styles of olive oil right through to ultradense, herbaceous, grassy example with serious cough-factor”.

All medal winning oils were displayed at the Canterbury A&P Show in November.

Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 29

Business profile

Built in 2009 at a cost of $4million including the land, Terra Creta’s state-of-the-art continuous processing plant can make 50 tons of olive oil a day.

How Terra Creta makes and markets olive oil While the majority of olive oil producers are struggling with low prices and an overcrowded market, Cretan producer Terra Creta has seen sales grow by an average of 13% a year for the last five years. It’s an incredible result, and their story provides useful insight into the importance of combining both tradition and innovation to industry success.

An olive oil-based energy shot, an extra virgin bottle with whole olives inside, a premium olive oil with maximum acidity of 0.2% and a high altitude EVOO are among new products planned by Crete’s biggest olive oil producer, Terra Creta.

From its base in the Aegean Sea – and thanks to a capital injection from two new shareholders – the 11-year-old company plans to branch out worldwide with beefed up branding and marketing, and even better quality.

Demand for good oil “Being on Crete favours production of excellent olive oils but that doesn’t make us complacent,” Terra Creta export manager Fotis Sousalis told Olive Oil

Times at a conference organised by the company on the Greek island’s west coast.

“All our production is EVOO but we aim at producing a truly excellent oil.

Our sales have been growing by an average of 13% a year for the last five years and we see great demand for good olive oil.

“We also know there’s room to improve because we see how the olives arrive at our mill, so we know how much potential is lost,” he said.

Pruning critical to quality After 1,050 tons in 2010, then just 400 tons in 2011 - its worst harvest in 30 years – this year Terra Creta expects to

30 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

produce about 1,500 tons of olive oil, all of it EVOO. Its own estate within the Kolymvari PDO in Hania, western Crete, provides a quarter of its olive oil output and the rest comes from about 800 local farmers.

Each has 500-2000 trees with an average age of 80 years, spread over 4-10 groves.

Harvesting is mainly with vibrating rakes and the fruit can’t all be processed at once so the trees are strategically pruned to stagger ripening.

It’s a balancing act – heavy pruning improves quality but reduces quantity – but is guided by intimate knowledge of the many micro-climates on the 3,200 square mile, mountainous island.

“We know all the fields and the kinds

Business profile

Terra Creta’s modern extraction mill was designed to facilitate traceability and features a high level of water recycling.

of olive oil different villages make,” Sousalis said.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) tests of fruit development (fruit moisture, olive oil content and acidity level) are used to determine the ideal time to harvest each grove.

Olives analyzed before oil extraction Terra Creta aims to be traditional in cultivation and harvesting but modern in extraction.

“What’s happening in the mill is really novel,” said Sousalis.

“The main innovation is that we segregate the olives at the start, based on their acidity, peroxide level and olive oil content.”

Representative samples of each farmer’s delivery are collected at the first stage of processing, where leaves and twigs are separated from the olives, and analysed on-site within a minute via NIRS. The results determine which of Terra Creta’s three main settling silos they will end up in.

The product of two years’ research, this grading system is crucial for the new premium line of maximum 0.2 acidity

EVOO to be offered for the first time by Terra Creta this season.

It is also used for an incentive scheme designed to get farmers to aim for better quality, whereby they are paid a €0.050.10/kg bonus for oil of up to 0.2% acidity.

The average acidity of all oil processed in the mill last year was 0.4%. The extra virgin limit is 0.8%.

Locally-designed mill Built in 2009 at a cost of €4million ($5.25m) including the land, Terra Creta’s state-of-the-art continuous processing plant can make 50 tons of olive oil a day.

There’s generally a 5:1 ratio of fruit to oil conversion.

Apart from an Italian centrifuge separator and 2-phase German centrifuge decanter, it was designed and made on Crete, Sousalis said.

There were some teething problems in the first harvest but he said the plant now runs optimally. Terra Creta is very proud of the design, which facilitates traceability and features a high level of water recycling.

Terra Creta export manager Fotis Sousalis.

Blending and bottling The company says it sells all of its production but some is kept each year to blend with the new oil in the early harvest months. Known as back-blending, this is done solely for consistency, Sousalis said. 

Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 31

Business Profile

“It’s so we don’t send someone an oil that is super-strong because they ordered during harvest in November and then in March they get a mild one,” he said.

The company also adjusts its oil blend according to market tastes.

“Our customers in the US consume milder olive oil than those in Germany, so you need to take this into account if you want to be successful.”

The company ships to far destinations such as China and Australia but breakage is rare. Any that does occur is usually in minus zero weather overland to Belgium and Scandinavia.

Italian bottles are preferred because “their quality is better than the Greek ones.” Tins are also used, but mainly for the French market and food service sector.

Terra Creta says its oil has an 18-24 month shelf life.

We’ll bring you part 2 of this special profile feature, focusing on the company’s sales and marketing operations, in the March edition of Olivegrower & Processor.

An expanded range of high-range products are part of the company’s plans to branch out worldwide with beefed up branding and marketing.

Carbon Farming Handbook A Carbon Farming Handbook has been made available by the government, providing information to landholders, farmers, waste operators and other clean energy businesses wanting to participate in the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI).

The CFI, which commenced in December 2011, encourages farmers, land owners, local government and other stakeholders to generate extra revenue by reducing agricultural and landfill waste pollution.

Several methodologies are already approved under the CFI, including f laring landfill gas, methane in piggeries, planting native tree species and reducing pollution from savanna fires.

Further methodologies are currently being developed with the CSIRO, universities, other research bodies and the Federal Government, working together to create dairy cattle food supplementation, enhanced efficiency fertilisers, manure management and soil carbon.

The handbook explains the CFI and how it operates, and aims to assist in

identifying the appropriate type of CFI activity which might be right for you, your business or your organisation. Part One explains how carbon markets and the CFI work, while Part Two provides an overview of the steps involved in undertaking a CFI project.

In short, the information sets out how landholders and farmers can improve their land and farm sustainability while also generating carbon credits that can be sold on domestic and international markets.

On releasing the handbook the government said that taking part in the CFI is in our own benefit: “With the serious risks associated with climate change threatening the future of Australian agriculture and food production, farmers and landholders have an important role to play in our nation’s clean energy future by increasing the land sector’s resilience to climate change and improving long term farm productivity,” it said.

This was backed up by a commitment to investing $1.7 billion of carbon price revenue over the next six years to

32 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

support the CFI and other programs to improve productivity, sustainability and profitability.

Download a copy of the handbook from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website: www.climatechange.gov.au.

Business

Surviving the storm: resolving disputes and getting on with business

•

Bianca Keys

As agriculturalists, you weather all kinds of storms, and not just the ones thrown your way by Mother Nature. When it comes to dealing with people and supply arrangements, stormy weather can come in the form of quality issues, pricing discrepancies, transport and storage methods, lack of information, questions of wastage and disposal, and breakdowns in effective communication.

However, like the weather forecast, our predictions for supply relationships are not always “spot on”, and problems can arise when we least expect them to.

So, what can you do?

The Produce and Grocery Industry Code (PGIC) and the Horticulture Code of Conduct (HCC) provide a range of tools to help you move past these issues and get on with the business of managing your business.

The PGIC is a voluntary industry code dealing with direct relationships along the chain of supply, from grower through to retailer, including relationships involving wholesalers, transporters, packers and processors. The HCC is a mandatory code under the Competition and Consumer Act. It relates to written supply agreements between growers and traders acting as agents or merchants.

The key to weathering these storms is to take concerns seriously from the onset and take action to prevent further damage.

The tools available to you include: • independent assessors for issues of quality and matters relating to agreements made in accordance with the Horticulture Code of Conduct • resources to help you find the most appropriate contact person or organisation to assist For further information go to www.produceandgroceryombudsman.com.au or www.hortcodema.com.au, or contact the Produce and Grocery Ombudsman and Horticulture Mediation Adviser on 1800 206 385.

Bianca Keys is the Assistant Ombudsman under the Produce and Grocery Industry Code of Conduct and the Assistant Mediation Adviser under the Horticulture Code of Conduct. Bianca is available to speak with growers and producers confidentially about the resources available and assist in identifying which of the codes applies to any given situation.

facilitation of straightforward issues to reach efficient and effective outcomes, • mediation by specialist industry providers based across Australia.

Each of these tools aims to provide a quick, confidential and cost-effective way to resolve issues relating to supply arrangements. Provided by an independent organisation via government subsidies, these tools give you the opportunity to maintain supply relationships and avoid the stress and cost of legal processes.

NOW IN PRINT AND ONLINE Login with your subscriber code at www.olivebiz.com.au For further details contact subs@olivegrower.com.au

Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 33

Olives and 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…

Olive oil can protect bones A study in Girona, Spain, has found that consumption of a Mediterranean diet enriched with olive oil for two years is associated with increased bone formation markers, and therefore may help preserve bone strength.

The researchers said that, while “the intake of olive oil has been related to the prevention of osteoporosis in experimental and in-vitro models ... this is the first randomised study which demonstrates that olive oil preserves bone, at least as inferred by circulating bone markers, in humans.”

The study involved 127 men aged 55-80, randomly selected from one of the Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea (PREDIMED) study centres. Each was randomly assigned to three intervention groups: Mediterranean diet with mixed nuts,

Mediterranean diet with virgin olive oil, and a low-fat diet.

Biochemical measurements of osteocalcin, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were performed at baseline and after a two year follow-up on fasting blood samples.

Researchers found that only consumption of the Mediterranean diet with olive oil was associated with a significant increase in the concentrations of total osteocalcin and other bone formation markers. There were also no significant changes in serum calcium in subjects taking olive oil, whereas serum calcium decreased significantly in the other two groups.

Source: www.onlinenews.com.pk.

Olives a potential source of probiotics New research published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology could see olives used as a new source of probiotics.

Probiotics are the healthy bacteria necessary for gut health and replacement is essential at times such as antibiotic use, when the medication destroys the natural bacteria in the digestive system. Ingested orally, probiotics must be able to withstand the harsh physical and chemical environment of the human gastro-intestinal tract, and need to be ingested in large quantities daily to have a beneficial effect.

Research at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) in Spain has raised the possibility of using the bacteria present in the fermentation process of olives to introduce these beneficial organisms to our bodies – providing a welcome alternative to those intolerant to the commonly-used yoghurt and dairy carriers.

The bacteria and yeast responsible for fermentation in certain

Spanish table olives are known to form communities known as a biofilm. It had been thought these bacteria dispersed into the brine during the process, however the new findings suggest that the biofilm compound remains on the surface of the fruit – providing up to 100 billion Lactobacilli on a single olive.

Further study on the probiotic nature of these bacterial strains is now being carried out by the CSIC, with some exhibiting beneficial effects on gut health. Other desirable, healthy bacteria strains may also be able to be introduced into – and therefore via - the fermentation process.

Combined with a high fibre and antioxidant content, if olives could also be used to deliver probiotics they could be classified as a functional food, providing a new and welcome market for our industry.

Source: www.oliveoiltimes.com.

Olive leaf extract may prevent diabetes Olive-leaf extract may help prevent a form of diabetes in overweight, middle-aged men, according to a trial conducted at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute on behalf of producer Comvita.

The trial involved 45 middle-aged men, classed as overweight based on their body mass index (BMI) and at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

This variant of the metabolic disorder occurs where insulin production slows or the body becomes resistant to the hormone.

The subsequent lack of insulin leads to excess glucose in the blood, which can cause kidney disease and other health problems.

Use of the extract was found to improve insulin release and sensitivity in the trial participants. The results have yet to be peer-reviewed but have been submitted for publication in an international medical journal.

The incidence of diabetes is rapidly increasing across the globe and the disorder currently affects an estimated 4% of the New Zealand population and 8% in the US. So while not offering a cure for diabetes, the findings therefore have worldwide significance for the potential of olive leaf extract to assist significantly in the prevention of the disorder.

Source: www.nzherald.co.nz.

34 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

Olives and health

Olive oil may help hypertension A new Spanish study reported in the American Journal of Hypertension suggests that olive oil polyphenols are associated with a lowering of blood pressure (BP) in individuals with mild hypertension.

Researchers at the Universidad de Sevilla found that women with mild hypertension had lowered rates of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after two months of eating a diet including polyphenol-rich olive oil.

The study involved 24 young women with high-normal blood pressure, stage 1 essential hypertension or simply mild hypertension. They followed two diets, one including 30 mg/ day of polyphenol-rich olive oil and the other an equivalent amount of polyphenol-free olive oil. Each diet was consumed for two months, with a one month clearing break in between.

Compared to baseline values, the polyphenol-rich olive oil diet caused a reduction of 7.91mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 6.65mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure. There was also reduced serum asymmetric dimethylarginine, oxidized low-density lipoprotein and plasma C-reactive protein, and increased plasma nitrites/nitrates and hyperemic area after ischemia.

The researchers concluded that “the consumption of a diet containing polyphenol-rich olive oil can decrease BP and improve endothelial function in young women with highnormal BP or stage 1 essential hypertension.”

Source: www.foodconsumer.org.

Olive oil helps slow brain aging New research suggests that saturated fats cause the brain to age more rapidly, while olive oil and other monounsaturated fats slow the process.

The study, published online in the Annals of Neurology, compared dietary surveys taken from more than 6000 healthy women over age 65 with cognitive functioning tests taken five years later: on average, women with the highest saturated fat intake had the worst scores on reasoning and memory tests and those with the highest monounsaturated fat intake had the best.

Researchers reported that women with a high intake of saturated fat had brains that appeared five or six years older than their biological age. In comparison, those with the highest consumption of monounsaturated fat had brains that appeared six or seven years younger.

Other results found no apparent effect on brain aging from total fat intake, polyunsaturated fats or even trans fats, generally believed more harmful than saturated fats, however the latter is believed to be a discrepancy caused by a low trans fat intake among study participants.

Researchers say the evidence adds to that of other dietary studies, suggesting major benefits from replacing at least some saturated fat in the diet with healthier monounsaturated fats.

Their analysis in fact suggests, they say, that substituting 5% of saturated fat calories with 5% monounsaturated fats could result in a 50% lower risk of an accelerated decline in memory and other cognitive functions due to aging. www.boston.com.

... and also protect skin from aging New research shows that olive oil may protect the face from the effects of sun-related aging.

The French study measured the intake of 1,263 women and 1,655 men between 45 and 60 years old, using data taken from multiple 24-hour diet records over two-and-a-half years. The severity of facial skin photoaging was graded by trained investigators at baseline using a six-grade scale and photographs, with results identifying a lower risk of severe photoaging associated with higher intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids from olive oil in both sexes.

The researchers found the association was independent of

environmental factors known to cause premature skin ageing and that “olive oil was the only one of three vegetable oil sources of monounsaturated fatty acids ... to present such a protective effect.” They were also unable to identify any benefit from higher intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids from animal sources.

“These findings support the beneficial effect of dietary olive oil or healthy diet habits associated with olive oil consumption on the severity of facial photoaging,” they concluded.

Source: www.dermatologyupdate.com.au.

AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND

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Issue 87 • January 2013 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 35

Business

Olive oil tasting terms In the last edition we listed the positive flavour and aroma characteristics found in olive oil, as an aid to growers, producers and marketers who are regularly called upon to help consumers identify the nuances of olive oil’s various organoleptic qualities. Here we cover the negative elements/defects, taken from the International Olive Oil Council’s Sensory Assessment Vocabulary Tasting Terms.

Negative attributes or defects in EVOO Unfortunately many things can go wrong when producing olive oil, and some defects are only detected through sensory (organoleptic) assessment. The most common are: Fusty - from olives stored in piles prior to pressing, causing advanced anaerobic fermentation.

Musty – moldy - flavour obtained when the fruit has developed fungi and yeast after storage in humid conditions.

Detected retro-nasally (through the back of the nostrils after swallowing).

Winey-vinegary – flavour reminiscent of wine or vinegar.

Occurs due to aerobic fermentation in olives which leads to the formation of acetic acid, ethylacetate and ethanol.

Muddy sediment – in oil that has been left in contact with sediment in tanks and vats.

Metallic - flavour reminiscent of metals, occuring when the oil has been in prolonged contact with metallic surfaces during crushing. Nowadays unusual as modern presses are made from non-reactive stainless steel.

Rancid - flavour in oils which have undergone oxidation. This is the most common defect; it can occur either before or after bottling and if a bottle, either opened or unopened, has been exposed to light and heat.

Other less common defects Heated or burnt – occurs when oil is exposed to excessive and/or prolonged heat during processing.

Hay-wood – flavour produced from olives that have dried out.

Greasy – flavour reminiscent of diesel oil, mineral oil, or mechanical grease.

Vegetable water – Flavour acquired by prolonged contact with the vegetable water that is a by-product of pressing olives.

Brine –obtained from olives that were brined (such as table olives) before pressing.

Esparto – flavour obtained from using new mats made from esparto (a type of grass) when pressing olives.

Earthy – flavour obtained from olives with dirt or mud on them and not been washed prior to pressing.

Grubby – flavour obtained from olives that have been attacked by the olive fly, which causes disintegration of the olives before they are harvested.

Frozen – flavour obtained from olives that experienced heavy frost or prolonged cold temperatures before being harvested and pressed.

Source: www.oliveoiltimes.com.

Recipe … for success Brownies are a favourite but are usually relegated to the “too naughty” category. This version is made with olive oil and other ingredients recognised for their antioxidant and heart-health-promoting properties – dark chocolate (containing copper, magnesium and potassium) and almonds (‘good’ fats, fibre, magnesium and potassium) so could be served as a healthy food option. They’re quick and easy to make too, and will store for several days in an airtight container in the fridge, making them a versatile addition to your ‘cellar door’ or promotional repertoire.

Olive oil brownies 125g bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped or broken up 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 large eggs, at room temperature 3/4 cup white sugar 1 tspn vanilla extract 1/4 tspn sea salt 1/2 cup plain flour 2/3 cup roasted unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped Preheat oven to 180C. Line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk in the olive oil until combined and set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer at high speed for 5 minutes, until thick and foamy. Beat in the vanilla and salt, then fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour, then stir in the nuts. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on how fudgey you like

them. They should have a shiny, dry, slightly cracked layer on top but still be moist underneath. Let cool completely and chill for several hours (or overnight) before cutting into squares.

Variations: Gluten free – simply replace the wheat flour with rice flour.

Also check that your chocolate is gluten-free.

Jaffa – replace 1/3 of the almonds with chopped glace orange.

36 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

your calendar of olive events

Jan 2013 Feb

January 29-February 1 International Course for Panel Supervisors of Virgin Olive Oil Tasters www.oliveoilagency.org

March 16-17 Olives New Zealand Conference 2013 – Auckland www.olivesnz.org.nz March 28-1 April Auckland Easter Show www.eastershow.co.nz

February 4-6 Masters of The Olive Mill Course www.oliveoilagency.org

Apr

February 4-8 Professional Olive Oil Sommelier www.oliveoilagency.org

Mar

What’s on

April 7-9 International High-end Edible Oil & Olive Oil Expo – Beijing, China www.oilexpo.com.cn

February 25-27 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes - New York, USA www.savantes.com

April 16-18 New York International Olive Oil Competition - New York www.nyoliveoil.com

March 5-7 Wimmera Machinery Field Days – Horsham, Victoria info@wimmerafielddays.com.au

April 19-20 East Gippsland Field Days – Bairnsdale, Victoria www.egfielddays.com

March 6-8 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes – London, UK www.savantes.com

April 30-May 2 SIAL Canada & Olive d’Or Competition Toronto www.sialcanada.com

March 13-15 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes – Seville, Spain www.savantes.com

October 7-8 2013 National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition – Hobart, Tasmania www.australianolives.com.au

March 15-16 South East Field Days – Lucindale, SA www.southeastfielddays.com.au

Oct

October 20-22 International High-end Edible Oil & Olive Oil Expo – Shanghai, China www.oilexpo.com.cn

To subscribe and for more information visit www.olivegrower.com.au

Advertiser index Agromillora Australia..................................................................... 38 Australian Olive Association..........................................................11 Axis Industrial.................................................................................13 Centrifuge Equipment................................................................... 38 Creekwood Projects Pty Ltd......................................................... 38 Croxsons Packaging....................................................................... 9 DAS Labs...................................................................................... 25 Deltagen Australia Pty Ltd.............................................................24 Dorato........................................................................................... 40 Hunter Bottling Company..............................................................16 Irwin & Sheehan............................................................................. 5 Kingsford Machinery Sales & Service..........................................19

Lomondo Olive Oil........................................................................ 38 Lorac Australia Pty Ltd................................................................... 6 Murradoc Oil Processors............................................................. 38 Olea Contracting Services............................................................17 Oliva Australia................................................................................18 Olive Oil Packaging Service..........................................................15 Pellenc Australia........................................................................... 23 PFG Australia.................................................................................21 Pieralisi MAIP Spa ......................................................................... 7 Sicma SRL...................................................................................... 2 Sumitomo Chemical Australia Pty Ltd........................................... 8

Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • January 2013 • Issue 87

37

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To advertise in the marketplace, call Chas Barter on (08) 8369 9513 or email sales@olivegrower.com.au

Olive Trees for Sale

Olive Nursery

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Harvesting

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Arbequina I-18, Arbosana I-43, Koroneiki I-38

Processing Olive Oil Processing

Euro X15 Superdecanter 1.8T per hour Minimum 1 tonne to large runs, Bookings essential 20 minutes from Geelong, Bottling can be arranged Mel Ref. 471 K4 Murradoc Oil Processors 600 Andersons Road, Drysdale Vic 3222 Ph: (03) 5253 2133 admin@lighthouseoliveoil.com.au www.lighthouseoliveoil.com.au

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