08 March 2024

Brought to you by Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor www.olivebiz.com.au

Today's Top Story

Xylella may not be responsible for olive tree devastation in Puglia, study finds

Puglia, 2019

The findings could unravel a decade of policy and understanding that Xylella fastidiosa was the leading cause of Olive Quick Decline Syndrome in Puglia.

Australia

Farmers say their supply agreements must be protected to give evidence at supermarket inquiries

Horticulture organisations say growers fear retribution from retailers if they raise complaints against the supermarket giants. One grower from north Queensland says if farmers in the industry speak out, their livelihoods are at risk.

“It’s as bad as I’ve seen it”: Pest hitting local olive growers

Olive grower Michael Freudenstein has seen mass defoliation at his olive groves due to an unexpected infestation of olive lace bug. Photo: Brodie Everist.

Olive groves in the Ovens Valley are being attacked by a fast-spreading pest, reportedly the worst infestation in years, impacting the local olive crop and adding costs for growers. Growers are reporting an unexpected proliferation of the olive lace bug, a sap-sucking insect up to 3mm in size, attacking the leaves and causing mass defoliation if left untreated.

How drought conditions are impacting Tasmania and why climatologists no longer use the D word

It's hard to miss the dry barren landscapes when travelling around Tasmania. The capital is no exception. It's been a hotter and drier summer than usual for Hobart, which has had about half the usual rainfall compared to the long-term average.

We’re feeling for our Tassie grower colleagues … and those in other areas with either way too little or way to too much rain.

Red imported fire ants Senate inquiry hears NSW farmers call for urgent action to manage pest's spread

NSW farmers are urging the eradication body to control fire ants.

NSW Farmers boss, Xavier Martin, wants urgent action on Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), an emerging threat in the state. US entomologist Robert Puckett is confident Australia can still eradicate the pest.

Got something to sell? Or want to buy? Go direct to your target market – olive growers and producers

If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, you can reach your target market directly with Olivebiz Classifieds. Our online Classifieds service is an easy and inexpensive solution to advertising your unwanted equipment. And if there’s something you’re looking for, it’s the ideal way to get the message out loud and clear to your peers and industry associates – the most likely to have what you need.

Olivebiz Classifieds cost just $40 for AOA members ($100 for non-members), including a text ad and link through to either your web page or images hosted on our site. And you don’t need to be a tech-head: just send us your info and we’ll post it up for you.

Olivebiz Classifieds are online now at www.olivebiz.com.au/classifieds. To arrange a listing, contact Gerri at editor@olivegrower.com.au.

Should Australia's largest groundwater system be used to produce food or store waste CO2?

The Great Artesian Basin generates about $13 billion of product and supplies water to hundreds of towns, but a big coal company wants to store waste CO2 in it.

Australian HSBC customers demand action over $6.3m 'spoofing' scam

Australians are continuing to lose their life savings to a long-running "spoofing" scam targeting customers of banking giant HSBC. The sophisticated impersonation scam relies on fraudsters disguising their phone number so their text messages appear in the same text chain as legitimate messages from the bank.

This is a good example of what’s happening to smart people every day. These scammers are good; listen to the recording. Be aware, and be wary.

SA fruit fly outbreak worries growers as restrictions imposed

Queensland fruit fly has been detected in Salisbury North in South Australia. (Supplied: Chris O'Connor)

A Queensland fruit fly outbreak has been declared by authorities at Salisbury North in Adelaide, prompting fruit movement restrictions. A grower in the Northern Adelaide Plains says the outbreak could cause price increases and supply chain issues for consumers.

South Australian olive growers need to keep a close eye on the situation, particularly around any spread and increase in the restriction zone, and plan for the possibility of mandatory protocols around fruit transport for processing.

Opportunities

Leadership development scholarships for women in farming and agriculture

Women & Leadership Australia has announced new scholarships to enable more women to access world-class leadership and workplace skill development programs. Combining cutting-edge leadership theory with practical application and a flexible part-time delivery, Women & Leadership Australia offers an unparalleled learning experience designed to fit your busy schedule.

With partial scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, there are four programs to suit women in non-leadership roles all the way up to senior executives.

Applications close Friday 22 March 2024 unless allocated prior. Find out more here.

Events

2024 Hunter Olive Show schedule announced

The Hunter Olive Association has finalized the schedule for this year’s Hunter Olive Show. One key change is a longer entry period for oil entries as they do not require additional testing.

The competition invites entries for EVOO, Flavoured Oil, Table Oives, Olive Tapenade and Olive Spreads categories, with key dates for 2024 being:

Entries open - 15 July
Entries close:
Table and Tapenades - 30 August
All Oils - 13 September
Awards presentation - 10 October

Download the full competition schedule and application forms on the Hunter Olive Association website - www.hunterolives.asn.au

International

Reviving heritage: DMO Djerba launches olive oil tourist circuit to boost economy

In a significant move to promote sustainable tourism while preserving cultural heritage, DMO Djerba inaugurated a unique olive oil tourist circuit last March 1. This new venture, centered around the historical Fessili oil mill, aims to enrich visitors' experience and contribute to the economic development of Tunisia's cherished island, Djerba.

Extra virgin olive oil lowers bad cholesterol, inflammatory marker in people with central obesity – 12-week RCT

05-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Consuming meals prepared using extra virgin olive oil for 12 weeks has showed benefits for cardiometabolic health in individuals with central obesity, such as a reduction in bad cholesterol and the inflammatory marker hs-CRP.

~~GROWER~~ SARDI TO GROWER

Replacing some or all of your olive trees? Interested in taking part in a research project run by SARDI?

The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) delivers applied science that grows South Australia's primary industries, food and wine. They’re currently conducting research around the effects of chipping crop trees being removed for replacement, with the material then used for mulch on the new plantings.

They’re keen to hear from olive growers who are planning on replacing 1 hectare or more of trees, situated in South Australia, Victoria or New South Wales. Removal, chipping and mulching costs will be covered; tree re-planting and re-establishment costs remain with the grower.

To find out more, or register your interest, please email Gerri at editor@olivegrower.com.au and we’ll put you in touch with the researchers.

‘Olives for life’ connect agriculture and biodiversity

LIFE Olivares Vivos aimed to design and certify biodiversity-friendly olive groves. Initial expectations were exceeded: LIFE Olivares Vivos has become an international benchmark for biodiversity-friendly agriculture, in part by carrying out the largest scientific study in the world of biodiversity in olive groves.

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

We’re now well into 2024 and Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) team continues to bring all the latest industry news and events to your Inbox every week. THE place to share olive industry news, event details and reminders, our industry e-newsletter keeps growing in popularity and we now have nearly 4000 subscribers across the globe. If you’re not one of them, you can sign up here.

And please remember that FOE is YOUR e-newsletter, so we’re keen to receive your news and help spread the word. Just email your information to Editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au - it’s free, and the best way to reach your fellow industry members!

After bumper harvests, a sharply lower yield in Argentina

An ‘off-year’ harvest, lack of chill hours, and extreme weather events are expected to reduce the yield by as much as 40 percent.

Dietitian fact-checks the viral olive oil shot myth

The Internet can't get enough of the olive oil shot trend. While olive oil is widely recognised as a healthy fat, how effective is a shot as compared to consuming in in other ways. Diet expert Abbey Sharp took to social media to break down the basics of this trend.

Pricey olive oil: Why dealers are asking customers to bring their own containers

Anna Arsenis of Karpos Nuts & Fruit in London’s Wortley Village is having trouble getting smaller bottles of olive oil from her supplier due to rising prices for the product. She's been shifting toward pumping the oil into containers that customers bring in as a way to keep costs down. (Andrew Lupton/CBC).

The price of olive oil has surged, forcing some retailers to shift toward wholesaling.