WELLINGTON - Four Italian investors who want to grow olives in New Zealand are involved in a new company setting up an olive processing plant in the Wairarapa.
The investors and 18 Wairarapa olive growers have established The Olive Press (Top), a $500,000 venture to import and operate an Italian press
by next winter's harvest.
The press is expected to process olives at over a tonne an hour with fruit from company members and growers throughout the lower half of the North Island and the top of the South Island.
A continuous extractor press, capable of handling 250kg an hour, is already being operated in Marlborough by another company.
Lincoln Gould, chairman of the steering group establishing the company, said the Wairarapa press would be able to press fruit at least four times faster.
Initially, it might be needed only to work for a couple of weeks of the harvesting season in April, May and June.
"There is a clear understanding among the members of the group that it may be a few years before there is a commercial return on the investment, but we are in for the long term," he said.
A key element of the venture was the involvement of the Italian investors.
"They are growers and processors of olives in their own right and they want to make substantial investment in tree plantings in New Zealand," Mr Gould said.
The press was not expected to have been operating until 2003, but the Italians were keen to see a quality press working in the region before planting their trees.
Mr Gould said several sites were being considered in the Martinborough, Featherston or Carterton area, partly because this would be more accessible to the tourism sector based around Martinborough.
The company was also investigating the extent to which help would be available from the Government's regional development funds, and strategies for the company's directions.
So far, the venture had been heavily based on the need for processing a progressively larger crop.
A quality oil press could act as a catalyst for a surge of olive plantings in the Wairarapa and central Hawkes Bay.
Mr Gould said other issues to be taken into account were the extent to which it should cater to the tourism trade. The press had the potential to become a tourism attraction, with its own cafe or restaurant, and even its own oil label.-NZPA
WELLINGTON - Four Italian investors who want to grow olives in New Zealand are involved in a new company setting up an olive processing plant in the Wairarapa.
The investors and 18 Wairarapa olive growers have established The Olive Press (Top), a $500,000 venture to import and operate an Italian press
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