International News/Trends

An olive oil producer described the recent tree pruning in Rabat, Malta, which led to heavy public criticism, as “butchering”. Referring to photos of a pruned tree in Rabat, Sam Cremona, who has about 500 olive trees of his own, said the extensive wound caused by the chainsaw cannot be treated. A landscapist engaged by the Rabat local council to clear up broken branches and cut “sick” ones was recently involved in an incident with conservationist Foppe Seekles. The conservationist was upset at “aggressive” pruning he believed was “killing the trees”. After the incident, the council’s contract manager immediately stopped the pruning contract and Rabat mayor Sandro Craus said the council was seeking advice on the matter.

Olive oil producers are enjoying a surge in exports to China on the back of rapidly rising wine exports. South-East producer Grant Wylie from Pendleton Fine Foods, among the beneficiaries of the jump in exports to China, has shipped consignments there and to Malaysia in the past week. “China is expected to become Australia’s largest export customer for olive oil this year, replacing the US which has dropped off due to continuing economic problems,” Mr Wylie said.

The importance of addressing potential contaminates in olive oil – such as mineral oil – was one of the issues raised at this month’s meeting in Brussels of the European Commission’s Advisory group on Olives and Derived Products. The meeting also discussed coming reforms to the sector in Europe; concerns over quality standards in the United States, Australia and Brazil; fears on trade liberalization with Tunisia; and discrepancies in the production totals declared by Italy.

A quiet corner of Kent has been transformed into the Mediterranean – with the county’s very first olive grove. Neil Davy and his wife Louise, neither of whom come from a farming background but share a love for sunnier climes and Tuscan cuisine, have planted 200 trees at Huggits Farm in Stone-in-Oxney. They admit they are learning as they go along but hope the warmer weather, lower rainfall and less fertile soil on the Romney Marsh will provide perfect growing conditions for the olives, which will eventually be turned into luxury extra virgin olive oil.

Pakistan and Greece need to improve their commercial and economic relations to promote bilateral trade and investment by taking advantage of new business opportunities, according to Greek Ambassador to Pakistan Petros Mavroidis . Olive oil is one of the major and well-known products of Greece and is known to be the finest in the world. He said Greece could export huge quantity of olive oil to Pakistan and it could provide its expertise and experience to plant olive trees on a large scale in Pakistan.

The International University of Andalucia has organized a series of summer courses focused on olive oil, in partnership with the University of Évora, the University of Jaén and the International Olive Council, to take place from July to September this year in Portugal. The courses will focus on a range of issues that are key to the olive oil sector, including obtaining quality olive oil and oil appreciation, as well as management of residues generated during olive harvest and processing. There will also be a strong focus on marketing of olive oils both for domestic and international markets.

The European Commission has deemed green olives from Halkidiki in northern Greece as products with protected designation of origin (PDO), it was announced in early June. Halkidiki is known for producing large green olives that have a high nutritional value. Local producers have been trying for some time to gain the PDO status for their products.

CreAgri Inc. has been awarded the Paris Polyphenols 2012 Award for the most effective, innovative and sustainable process to recover healthy polyphenols from agricultural biomass. Held in Paris on June 7-8, and organized by ISANH, Paris Polyphenols 2012 was the premier venue to discuss the latest clinical evidence supporting the use of polyphenols for health and wellness, and to further scientific knowledge in general regarding polyphenols derived from fruits and vegetables wastes.