Heavy crops signal better season

Marlborough olive trees are carrying heavy crops after a sunny summer and Marlborough Olive Press chairman Mark Heard predicts oil yields will be well up on last season. The co-operative planned to start processing Marlborough olives on Monday using a new press capable of doubling production, he said. Unfortunately, the purchase of the press last year coincided with a shocking crop, so its capacity was never tested, Mr Heard said. Not only was the harvest well down after a poor flowering and cool, moist summer, but disease levels had been higher than usual and oil yields down.