WELLINGTON - New Zealand's fledgling olive industry could become more competitive by using small but productive Tuscan trees, says agricultural consultant Andy Rosanowski.
The trees, being grown in Nelson, are dwarfed and self-fertilising, making them high-yielding and easy to harvest.
"Their chief advantage over other varieties is that they can be harvested
with a grape-harvesting machine that straddles the trees," said Mr Rosanowski.
"You can do four tonnes an hour with it, rather than a few hundred kilos a day if you're picking by hand, which is how it is being done with bigger trees.
"This cuts labour costs by 80 per cent - down to $500 a hectare."
Mr Rosanowski, who has visited research institutes and commercial groves in Italy to select new olive varieties with potential in New Zealand conditions, said the Tuscan trees looked an excellent prospect.
"The best groves over there were doing in four years what would normally take 10."
The project to import the Tuscan variety is supported by the Government's Technology NZ "techlink" international acquisitions scheme.
New Zealand growers have planted about 1000ha in olives in Northland, Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Nelson, Waiheke Island and Central Otago.
- NZPA
