LAST DAY for AIOA entries; Aus/EU EVOO price parity; Spanish exports down 40%

23 August 2024

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

Today's top story

LAST DAY to enter 2024 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) – don’t miss out!

Today is your final chance to enter the 2024 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), so if you haven’t entered your products yet, don’t waste a minute longer - enter your products here NOW.

There’s more information below or if you need assistance with your entries, please contact Competition Convenor & Chief Steward Trudie Michels on 0419 031 527 or aioa@australianolives.com.au.

Australia

Oil up: Australian extra virgin olive oil hits price parity with European imports

Australian examples are typically more expensive than imported equivalents. While all prices have increased, local products may now be a better deal.

Discovering locally made olive oil

Mel’s farm shop selection extends beyond her oil, with Precious Little Wines and other SA producers.

CityMag branches out of the city and visits the Peninsula Providore olive grove to learn about olive growing, sustainability and their plans for the month-long Fleurieu Food Festival.

It’s always great to see local producers – and products – getting good press. If you’ve go a story to tell, contact media in your region: ‘eat/buy’ local is topical news right now.

'Phantom brands' by supermarket giants pushing Australian produce off shelves

Newer entrants to the grocery market are often supermarket-owned private brands, despite not being labelled as such. Tasmanian pea growers have had their supply contract slashed by a third as Coles looks to replace local peas with imported ones for its private-label brand.

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 – like Natalia, who has a bottle filling machine for sale. 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.

Wild weather brings record-breaking rainfall, flooding across Western Australia's south-west

A cold front has seen multiple rainfall records broken as wild weather struck southern WA over the weekend. Farmers across the Great Southern say the rainfall has helped their "dire" situation after lengthy dry spells.

We hope at least some WA olive growers got a good dose of the rain.

Food Farmers Commissioner to help tackle rising supermarket prices

The Queensland Government will appoint a Food Farmers Commissioner after an inquiry into rising supermarket prices. Growers welcome the idea of a commissioner but are worried the role won't protect them from retribution.

Opportunities

Round two of on farm connectivity program launched

The On Farm Connectivity Program has been given a $3M boost to $18M, helping grow agtech investment in Australia. The Federal Government funding is designed to assist primary producers to adopt advanced connected machinery and sensor technology. Farmers get a 50% rebate on eligible tech (up to $30K), a higher revenue cap ($4M), and an extended activity timeframe (120 days). Farmers can access funding through Regional Tech Hub. Applications open mid-October.

Find out more about the program here.

Events

LAST DAY to enter 2024 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) – don’t miss out!

Today is your final chance to enter the 2024 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), so if you haven’t entered your products yet, don’t wait a minute longer.

Australia’s premier olive competition, with international status and recognition, the AIOA offers a multitude of benefits including:

Entries are assessed and awarded on merit by a team of Australian and international judges.
assessment by internationally trained judges;
comprehensive judging feedback for every entry;
successful judging provides eligibility for OliveCare® certification;
international recognition of winning products and producers;
inclusion in Official Results Book - an impressive marketing tool for all medal and award winners;
access to professional product images from the Results Book at only $35+GST – a fraction of the price of your own professional photography.

Find out more and enter here, or if you need assistance with your entries please contact Competition Convenor & Chief Steward Trudie Michels on 0419 031 527 or aioa@australianolives.com.au.

Key dates

Entries Close: 23 August 2024

Medal winners announced: 7 October 2024 via email

Major Award winners announced: 2024 AIOA Presentation Dinner, 25 October, Bendigo, VIC

2024 Platinum Sponsor

AgEnviro Labs

TAS workshop: Safeguard Your Farm - Practical Steps to Protect Your Farming Business

Hosted by Resilient Farming Tasmania, this workshop will arm you with the skills to protect and prepare your business against pest, weed and disease risks that can affect your crops, business and livelihood.

Hear from other farmers about what they have done to protect their farm and what they experienced when a new pest arrived. Assess your risks and put measures in place. Network with others over lunch.

Details:

Friday, 13 September, 10am-3:30pm AEST

Ulverstone Surf Life Saving Club, Beach Rd, Ulverstone

Free – register here.

2024 AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition

Registration is now open for the 2024 AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition, being held in Bendigo, VIC from 23-25 October.

This year’s program includes:

Plenary sessions
EVOO blending workshop
Trade exhibition
Conference Dinner
Field tour - Wednesday 23 (optional – additional ticket required)
2024 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation Dinner – Friday 25 (optional – additional ticket required)

Find out more and register here

The National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition is facilitated by the Australian Olive Association, partially funded by Hort Innovation using the Olive R&D levy, with in-kind contributions from the Australian Olive Association and funding from the Australian Government. The event is also supported by a range of industry sponsors and exhibitors, the Melbourne Convention Bureau and the Victorian Government.

International

Spanish olive oil exports plummet 42% after prices soar

Spanish olive oil exports saw significant declines in the first half of the year, with extra virgin olive oil exports dropping 40.1% in volume and 16.3% in value. Virgin olive oil exports fell 47.3% in volume.

Biochar derived from olive oil pomace mitigates salt stress on seedling growth of forage pea

Studies are being conducted to develop strategies to reduce the adverse effects of salinity stress. In the present study, it was aimed to determine the interactive effects of salinity stress with biochar on plant growth - the physiological and biochemical attributes of forage peas.

Seems there’s no end of benefits to be had from olive products.

Sunflower oil dethrones olive oil in Spain's kitchens as prices soar

Sunflower oil has dethroned olive oil as king of the kitchen in Spain, the world´s largest olive oil producer, as rising prices force consumers to switch to cheaper options.

Olive oil fraud and mislabelling cases surge in EU amid supply shortages

The European Union (EU) has reported a record number of potential olive oil fraud and mislabelling cases in the first quarter of this year, The Guardian reported … In the first quarter of this year, the EU recorded 50 cases of “cross-border EU notifications”, including mislabelling, potential fraud and safety cases involving contaminated oils, compared with 15 in 2018, the report said.

How to make olive oil at home

Choose ripe, fresh olives for the best flavour. Ensure they are clean and free from any damage or rot.

Extraction starts with a food processor and 30-40 mins of bowl mixing … don’t think home-production will challenge our industry.

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

We’re now well over half-way through the year and the Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) team continues 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!

Over one million olive plants to be planted during current year

In an effort to boost local edible oil production and support the (Pakistan) government’s initiatives to increase green cover and mitigate potential climate impacts on the ecosystem, over 1 million olive plants will be planted during this year’s tree plantation drive.

Goedgedacht Trust breaks olive harvest record

Goedgedacht Trust has set a new record for the olive harvest, producing 27 000 litres of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. The success is attributed to regenerative farming practices, which have improved tree resilience and yields.