Industry News

The Financial Times has devoted space to the turbulent olive oil market of the ‘Big Three’ – Spain, Italy and Greece. Pointing out that the price of olive oil has dropped to a 10-year low since demand has sunk due to the economic crisis, the article also correlates the fading of olive oil consumption with competition from cheaper vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil. In Spain, sunflower oil costs only €1.25L, while olive oil is sold at €1.99 and extra virgin at €3.25. Domestic consumption of olive oil in Spain will fall back to the levels of 2002 and in Italy and Greece to 1995 levels, the article states, citing the International Olive Oil Council.

An ancient Sicilian olive tree worth €20,000 was delivered to Sherries Garden Centre in Burmarrad this morning, having been delivered from Catania. This particular olive is three trees which, over the years, became one. It is 1,000 years old and has been bought to Malta for a private individual. In the past, olive trees were planted in threes rather than in singles and as decades passed they became works of art following the sun, twisting with winds and growing majestically.

Imported Italian olive oil brand Carapelli is looking to harness social media sharing in its first new (US) brand campaign in five years. Dubbed “Made with Care, Made to Share,” the campaign’s hub is a relaunched site. The site focuses on offering recipes and provides links to Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest (as well as promoting the hashtag #justsharing) to encourage users to share the recipes and discuss the brand, Italian cooking and entertaining through their own pages/accounts.

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has spoken in Parliament about the need for further regulation in the olive oil industry to ensure an appropriate standard of olive oil labelling which would benefit both producers and consumers. Mr Coulton said that a significant number of imported olive oils are failing to comply with Australia’s national standard and that misleading labelling practices are affecting the viability of our domestic olive oil industry.

Breda McCarthy from James Cook University is profiling buyers of organic food in Queensland to understand their motives, attitudes and shopping behaviour. The research should help producers, growers and retailers learn more about consumers’ interest in, and knowledge of, organic standards, and its implications for marketing practice. Access the survey https://jcubusiness.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_7Pr7WEjtTnUpNBy

There’s only a week left 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 editions of Olivegrower & Processor, or via the competition link in this newsletter. As growers have been flat out with harvest and production, the closing date has been extended to June 30 , so don’t miss out on your chance to win the latest new pruning equipment from Campagnola.

The Italian Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Adelaide is inviting olive oil producers to join an Australian delegation of exhibitors at Salone del Gusto 2012, a biennial international trade fair focused on “slow food” products. Being held in Turin, Italy on 25-29 October, and hosted by Slow Food Internatiuona, the event is a marketplace for small‐scale sustainable and artisanal producers. ICCI business development manager Antonio Rosato said Salone del Gusto provides a unique opportunity to represent the diversity of the Australia regional food products and cultures to an
international audience. The chamber is co-ordinating a 72sqm Australian stand, which will house nine exhibitors and include an open tasting area, and can assist with shipping of product and other practical details. For more information, or to submit a registration of interest, email Antonio at [email protected].

Hills consumers are being urged to vote with their hip pockets and discourage the influx of cheap olive oil imports by only buying local and certified extra virgin olive oil. Industry representatives say many imports are labelled incorrectly as extra virgin oil when they can be any sort of refined, bleached and deodorised oil made from olives that may have fallen from trees and been on the ground for months. Bald Hills Olive Grove owners Robert Rees and Anama Morriss believe it would send the strongest message if consumers stopped purchasing imported brands.