everything you need to know about olive oil: from production to harvest, ending with its health evidence

2. AGENDA
 The Olive Tree
 Growing Conditions
 The Cropping (Harvest methods)
 Production
 Types of Olive Oil
 Cost Effectiveness
 Health Evidence

6. There are approx. 2.000 different varieties of olives around the world.
Each variety varies in size, oil content, taste, chemical characteristics, ripening time,
and many other factors.
SPAIN ITALY GREECE PORTUGAL
262 aprox. 500 aprox. 100 aprox. 30 aprox.
Arbequina
Cornicabra
Picual
Hojiblanca
Frantolio
Biancolilla
Nocellara
Santagatese
Koroneiki
Kalamon
Konservolia
Ladolia
Arbosana
Cobrancosa
Madural
Country
Nº of
types
Examples

7. GROWING CONDITIONS

8. WEATHER - Best:
- Dry & hot summers ( 40ºC)
- Cold & barley humid winter (-5ºC)
- Soft Spring (10º C) for flowering
SOIL - Best:
- All kind of soils
- Good drainage
- Full of sun light

9. THE CROPPING

10. Depending on the
method, quality &
variety, costs may vary

11. PERIOD
The harvesting of fruits designated for pressing usually starts in November and
December in the Mediterranean Basin. It is necessary to pick the olives as they
reach maturity and no later in order not to affect the oil quality.
OPTIMUM MOMENT
OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

12. HARVEST PERIOD IS NOT A MEASURE OF QUALITY
Depending on the harvest period different styles of olive oil are produced.
EARLYHARVEST LATEHARVEST
As they are made from greener
olives, early harvest styles are usually
more grassy/herbaceous in aroma
and flavor and have higher levels of
bitterness and spiciness.
Late harvest styles are usually
milder oils and display riper fruit
flavors.

13. Today, we can find 3 different cropping systems:
TRADITIONAL:
- 80/100 trees/ha
- Normally dry land
- Two foot olive tree
- 1000 kg/ha
- Centenary
INTENSIVE:
- 200/500 trees/ha
- Dry or irrigation System
- One foot olive tree
- 10.000 kg/ha
- Up to 40 yo
SUPERINTENSIVE:
- 1000/2000 trees/ha
- Dry or irrigation System
- Hedges olive tree
- 15-20.000 kg/ha
- Up to 20 yo

14. TRADITIONAL

15. TRADITIONAL

16. TRADITIONAL

17. TRADITIONAL

18. TRADITIONAL

19. INTENSIVE

20. SUPER INTENSIVE

21. We have more than 2000 types of olives trees present in the
world. Each variety has its own characteristics that should be
taken into account in order to maximize its production.

22. We have more than 2000 types of olives trees present in the
world. Each variety has its own characteristics that should be
taken into account in order to maximize its production.
Other factors to take into account:
- “vecería” effect
- Tolerance to “pest”
- Fruit detachment

23. This effect can be reduced by a good maintenance of the olive tree

25. “RESISTANCE TO PESTS”
There are some pests that have a strong effect on the production
of the olives trees and they can even kill the olive tree.
Xylella fastidiosa Mosca /Fly Repilo (Cycloconium
oleaginea)

26. “FRUIT DETACHMENT”
Some variants are stronger than others and it has an
effect on:
i) the cost of the olive oil &
ii) the damage of the olive tree reducing next year
production

27. Scale of robustness
SIKITITA KORONEIKI

35. TYPES OF OLIVE OIL

36. Olive
oil
Lampant
Olive
oil
Extra
virgin
Perfect taste
and smell
Acidity <0,8°
Not for
consumption
Acidity >2°
Must undergo
refining process

37. PHYSICAL
Physical refining is the
process that refines the
oil by heating the oil
under vacuum,
removing its off tastes.
CHEMICAL
Chemical refining is the
addition of solvents (NaOH)
to the oil to remove its off
tastes.

38. Olive oil
Lampant
Refined oil
The lampant, once
refined, it is enriched
with aromatic and fruity
extra virgin olive oil to
give it flavor and color
again.
This is what can
commercially be sold as
Olive Oil.
OLIVE OIL
Refined
Extra
Virgin
Olive Oil
(Pure/
Light)

40. MULTIVARIETAL / ‘COUPAGE’ MONOVARIETAL OR SINGLE VARIETAL
Only one type of olive.
-The olives harvest change every year & their
organoleptic characteristics also.
Blend of different types of olives.
- Appropriate to guarantee the same
taste over time.
Extra virgin olive oils can be produced from one or several varieties of olives.

41. COLOR IS NOT A MEASURE OF QUALITY
However, some consumers believe the greener the better.
Color is NOT a measure of quality

42. Cost effectiveness

43. 1) Cropping System
2) Harvest System
3) Soil Maintenance

44. Type of cropping system
TRADICIONAL
INTENSIVE SUPERINTENSIVE

45. Traditional olive tree land

46. Intensive olive tree land

47. Irrigated olive tree land

48. Harvest System ( € needed)
MANUAL
COLOSSUM RIDING

49. Soil Maintenance

50. Formation Production Renovation

51. Before
Later
Pruning during
formation stage:
- Open the center
- Two big trails

52. The olive tree needs light & sun to
start flowering, so pruning needs
to be soft & well done

53. Formation pruning needs to be very clear in the center with two
main arms that will define its future structure. The tutor is
mandatory to guide the trunk of the olive tree.

54. Each olive tree has its own bearing. Knowing it is essential to
ensure a good pruning & healthy tree development

55. DRY LAND IRRIGATED LAND

56. ECONOMIC
EXERCISE
PRUNING FERTILIZER PHYTOSANITARY LAND IRRIGATION HARVEST MILLING
TOTAL
TRADITIONAL
DRY
0,34 0,23 0,34 0,45 0,00 1,43 0,40 3,19
TRADITIONAL
IRRIGATED
0,24 0,15 0,20 0,30 0,27 0,87 0,24 2,27
INTENSIVE
DRY
0,18 0,12 0,15 0,20 0,00 0,64 0,24 1,53
INTENSIVE
IRRIGATED
0,16 0,13 0,15 0,20 0,20 0,39 0,15 1,38
SUPER
INTENSIVE
0,16 0,13 0,15 0,20 0,26 0,25 0,15 1,30
COSTS: Draft economic exercise ( €/Kg)
Source: internal data

57. HEALTHY BENEFITS

58. FATS ARE GOOD

59. Fatty acids
SaturatedUnsaturated

61. Mono-unsaturated fats reduce bad
cholesterol levels (LDL) in your
blood which can lower your risk of
heart disease and stroke.

62. Olive Oil has 18gr VITAMIN E per
100ml which is a natural antioxidant
for our body cells, helps reducing the
effects of the past of time in our body
Some believe that 1 spoon a day (or 6 olives) is key to ensure a healthy heart

63. European Food Safety Authority claim approved for EU:
Polyphenols from olive contribute to the protection of
blood lipids from oxidative stress

64. Source: Mediterranean Diet Foundation

65. So many varieties
So let’s dip in!
OO is Healthy & Tasty
Know them well before choosing
OO can be very Profitable

66. TASTING

67. tastesmell touch

68. Vanessa Alvarez
Global Strategic Marketing Manager
Deoleo SA
www.internationaloliveoil.org
www.deoleo.com
www.poolred.com
www.juntadeandalucia.es
www.todolivo.com
www.magrama.gob.es
www.fao.org
www.asoliva.com
www.aemo.com