14 July 2023

Brought to you by Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor www.olivebiz.com.au

Today's Top Story

Australia and European Union fail to reach free trade deal despite visit to break deadlock

Australia and the European Union have failed to resolve five-year-long negotiations on a planned free trade agreement worth almost $100 billion.

Protected product names like Kalamata are a big part of the blockage …

Australia

Federal government launches review of transmission line planning to ease community opposition

Experts say transmission upgrades are vital to the green energy transition. (ABC News: Kenith Png)

The federal government has sought to head off a growing backlash from communities affected by proposed high-voltage transmission lines by launching a review of how projects are planned.

End-of-season contract harvesting

After last week’s follow-up call for contract harvesters to join our register of those servicing smaller growers, we had an email from Jack Vodusek at Rich Glen Olive Estate. They have end-of-season capacity to either harvest and/or process, so anyone with fruit on their trees that’s still viable to pick may want to touch base - jack.vodusek@richglenoliveoil.com.

For logistical considerations, they’re located at Yarrawonga, Victoria.

And we’re still keen to hear from other providers from all growing areas for our our updated register of contract harvesters. Please send your details to Friday Olive Extracts Editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au.

Aussie olive producer receives "Regenerative" certification

A Greener World (AGW), a non-profit certifier, has announced Manna Hill Estate as the first producer in Australia to be Certified Regenerative by AGW. This certification provides an assurance of whole-farm regeneration and sustainability, measuring benefits for soil, water, air, biodiversity, infrastructure, animal welfare and social responsibility.

Olive industry members will be able to learn more about the benefits of regenerative farming when Manna Hill owner Campbell Mercer joins us as a keynote speaker at this year’s National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition in Canberra. Don’t miss out - mark 26-27 October in your diaries. Registrations open soon here.

Got something to sell? Or want to buy? Go direct to your target market – olive growers and producers

If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, you can reach your target market directly with Olivebiz Classifieds. Our online Classifieds service is an easy and inexpensive solution to advertising your unwanted equipment. And if there’s something you’re looking for, it’s the ideal way to get the message out loud and clear to your peers and industry associates – the most likely to have what you need.

Olivebiz Classifieds cost just $40 for AOA members ($100 for non-members), including a text ad and link through to either your web page or images hosted on our site. And you don’t need to be a tech-head: just send us your info and we’ll post it up for you.

Olivebiz Classifieds are online now at www.olivebiz.com.au/classifieds. To arrange a listing, contact Gerri at editor@olivegrower.com.au.

Tasmanian farmers fight state 'bullies' from acquiring land for public projects

Oliver Scott-Young is fed up with government-owned enterprises acquiring land on his family's farm for infrastructure projects. (ABC Rural: Laurissa Smith)

For the past two years, Oliver Scott-Young has been fighting an irrigation project that would slash a 22-hectare chunk out of his farm and turn it into water storage.

Farmers looking to destock or handfeed as drought conditions approach, a year on after catastrophic floods

Farmers in parts of the NSW far north coast still recovering from last year's catastrophic floods are now facing drought conditions. While 99 per cent of the state is not in drought, it is a different picture in the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed Valleys, and part of Lismore local government area.

A reminder that climatic conditions are changing rapidly at present, so we all need to adopt management practices to prepare and mitigate whatever lies ahead. Like soil improvement, to increase water holding capacity and tree health.

GROWER TO GROWER

Have a question? Need some advice? Ask a fellow grower!

The FOE team regularly hears from growers with questions about grove or production practices, or equipment, that they just can’t find the answers to. They’re things other producers are likely know about and/or experienced themselves. So we’ve set up a new Friday Olive Extracts feature, Grower to Grower, where you can send your questions and have them answered by your peers.

Just send the details to editor@olivegrower.com.au and we’ll put them out to the Friday Olive Extracts community - that’s thousands of readers across the globe.

Farmer reports more than 1,000 kangaroos on property as numbers 'boom' across Victoria

James Walsh says more than a thousand kangaroos move across his property. (Supplied: James Walsh).

A Victorian farmer is watching hundreds - and sometimes more than a thousand - kangaroos move through his paddocks daily.

Contract Olive Pruning - Riverland Pruning & Harvest

All aspects of olive pruning - tree training,

re-shaping, re-juvenate,

pruning for shaker or hand harvesting.

All tools supplied.

Fully licensed and insured.

Servicing all areas of SA and VIC.

Contact Rajab – 0469 718 719

rajabnassiri510@yahoo.com

Events

2023 AIOA entries now open - will you be this year’s Best of Show Winner?

The 2023 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) is now open for entries.

Australia’s premier olive competition, with increasing international recognition and status, the AIOA provides benefits for entrants including:

Entries individually assessed and awarded on merit.
All entrants receive comprehensive judging feedback.
Successful judging provides eligibility for OliveCare® certification.
Unprecedented opportunity for international recognition of winning products and producers.
Official AIOA Results Book, providing a great marketing tool for all medal and award winners.
The opportunity to purchase high-resolution professional product images for use in social media, website and media purposes at only $35 plus GST.

Find out more and enter here.

“I work so hard and it’s just wonderful to get something for all the hard work. I put my heart and soul into it, and I think it’s paid off with this award…and it’s expensive to make, so the boost in sales is such a bonus. Instead of three bottles, now people will ask for 12 – when it’s won Best in Show, it makes a great present.”

Liz Tonkinson, Leisal Rose, 2021 AIOA Best of Show EVOO

International

Uptick in olive fruit fly infestations reported in Andalusia

Bactrocera oleae (Tephritidae).

As olive groves enter their most vulnerable stage of development, authorities said the number of captured flies and observed damage was significantly higher than in previous years.

Mintec Video Update: Olive Oil prices hit new all time highs

In this market update video pricing analyst for oilseeds and oils Kyle Holland talks through olive oil prices hitting the highest prices on record according to Mintec data and discusses some of the significant concerns coming from market players that the market may run out of olive oil before the new harvest.

New initiative in Italy to restore olive cultivation in the Apennines

The 1,200-kilometer mountain chain is home to 207,000 hectares of olive groves. Restoring the abandoned groves could substantially increase Italian olive oil production.

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

The year is racing by and Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) continues and Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) will continue to bring all the latest industry news and events to your Inbox every week. THE place to share olive industry news, event details and reminders, our industry e-newsletter keeps growing in popularity and we now have nearly 4000 subscribers across the globe. If you’re not one of them, you can sign up here.

And please remember that FOE is YOUR e-newsletter, so we’re keen to receive your news and help spread the word. Just email your information to Editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au - it’s free, and the best way to reach your fellow industry members!

How to reuse olive oil for sautéing and frying

Deep frying with olive oil is healthier than frying with other oils, and it can be reused several times, with some caution, to reduce waste and enhance flavors.

Good to see this information going out to consumers.

Widely consumed vegetable oil leads to an unhealthy gut

High consumption of soybean oil has been linked to obesity and diabetes and potentially autism, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and depression. Add now to this growing list ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, characterized by chronic inflammation of the large intestine.

A healthier alternative, they recommend, is …

Albanian olive oil exports quadruple in first quarter of 2023, officials say

The combination of Albania’s bumper harvest and poor harvests in Europe means there is more demand than ever from the European Union for Albanian olive oil.

Tourists of all ages are heading to groves and mills this summer

Whether it is dining in a grove, participating in the harvest or simply tasting oils, tourists are escaping the cities to spend summer holidays among olives.

Italy’s ‘oleotourism’ movement is also seeing people wanting to take part in an experience - something to think about at harvest time, perhaps?