BLENHEIM - The olive industry is alive and flowing.
Much of the expansion is centred on Marlborough, where it is expected to grow to more than 13 times its present size in the next three years, making it worth $10 million a year.
Sizeable numbers of olive trees are also being grown
in the Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and Northland.
Most olives are used to make high-quality extra virgin olive oil, which can wholesale for around $40 a litre and retail for $100 a litre.
According to figures supplied by the Marlborough Olive Association, there are about 200,000 olive trees in Marlborough, most planted within the past three years.
Their yields are expected to increase as they mature.
Marlborough association chairman Tim Anderson estimated that at least 100 tonnes of olives would be processed this year.
In three years, the harvest was estimated to be around 2000 tonnes, he said.
Growing worldwide demand would ensure a bright future for the industry, which already enjoyed a very good international reputation for the quality of its olive oil.
Mr Anderson said the soil and climate required for growing good olives was the same as that for grapes, and Marlborough olive oil could become as highly regarded as the region's sauvignon blanc.
He estimated that in three years about 12,000 working days would be needed to pick the olives and a further 4000 working days to prune the trees.
The trees already planted would produce on average 10kg a tree, equating to around $10 million of olive oil.
Mr Anderson said the same trees could eventually produce up to 40kg each, with higher oil content in the olives when the trees matured.
- NZPA
