Oils ain’t oils

Olive oil is flowing as thousands of trees planted some 10 years ago are delivering a bumper harvest. Director of Sumich Olive Oil, Vincent Tana and farm manager Stephen Beckwith are encouraged by the recent turnaround in prices and confident of a good season. Sumich has 1100 hectares of olive trees across the north west of the Northern Valleys. The 500,000 trees will produce between 1-1.5 million litres of olive oil this year, employing 10 people full time and another 25 during harvest time. Like most farming, it is price which decides the fortunes of the industry.