Olive Oil News

According to the data by IOC, production in 2011/12 looks poised to be 302,000 tonnes higher than in the preceding crop year. Stocks of approximately 1 million tonnes are expected, an increase of 34%. Producers in Spain, Greece and Italy, the only three countries for which the IOC has reliable price data, are getting a low price – €1.75, €2.38 and €1.84/kg respectively – for the extra virgin olive oil they produce. One has to go back to May–June 2009 in the 2008/09 crop year to find comparable price levels.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, are presenting a series of free workshops on soil health and carbon farming. The workshops will feature expert speakers on topics such as soil carbon, biology and fertility and will also introduce the Carbon Farming Initiative, including the process, methodologies for the region and funding opportunities. Sessions will run from 9:30am-4pm, with morning tea and lunch provided. Venues and dates are: Hahndorf – 19 June; Yankalilla – 20 June; Gawler – 21 June. For information or to register contact: Hahndorf – Melanie Bullers (08) 8389 5913, [email protected]; Yankalilla – Jodie Pain (08) 8550 3405, [email protected]; Gawler – Gail Kennedy (08) 8523 7700, [email protected].

Olive oil prices are at rock bottom, so food manufacturers would be advised to secure supplies now to fix prices, as the trend will not last, Mintec has warned. Low current demand and over-supply are responsible for the price crash but predictions are that the situation will change within a year, due to the severe drought across Spain’s major growing regions over the past season.

Don’t forget to enter our great 2012 Quality is Clear Cut Subscriber Competition, generously sponsored by Eclipse Enterprises Australia. Just tell us about how you prune your grove and you’ll be in the running to win one of three great prizes, each valued at over $2,600. Entry forms are in the March-May and June-July (hitting letterboxes soon) editions of Olivegrower & Processor or via the competition link in the ad below. Entries close June 30 – don’t miss out on your chance to win the latest new pruning equipment from Campagnola.

Online store McLaren Vale Cellars are becoming a ‘one-stop shop’ for produce from the McLaren Vale region, and are looking for more products to list on their site. The website has been active for around two months and is quickly rising in website rankings: current traffic ranking is over 700,000 globally and 5000 in Australia, with a huge following in Adelaide. Orders are made via the website and producers are then contacted to supply the item, which MVC then deliver to the customer. There is currently no charge to be listed on the website and products are sold at your RRP. For more information contact Tom Curtis at: [email protected] and see the website http://www.mclarenvalecellars.com/

Wholesale trade enquiries are invited for unique Australian produce. All items must be *Australian made, *well presented, *not require refrigeration, *not found in a supermarket, *not derived from industrial scale production, *consumables packed and labelled according to regulations.
Enquiries are welcome to Tim Broster – [email protected] or 0413799091. Wholesale price lists can be forwarded to: PO Box 228, Barmera, SA 5345.

The AOA has recently created a Facebook page to help promote Australian Olive Oil and the Code of Practice symbol. AOA CEO is urging all Facebrook users to go to the page and hit the “like” button. When you’ve done that, copy and paste the link into your status and ask all of your friends to “like” it too. Access the page https://www.facebook.com/AussieOliveOil