After swapping grape vines for olive groves 20 years ago, the producers behind Mardouw Olive Estate are bullish about the future of olive oil in South Africa.
A series of triÂumphs at local and global olive oil qualÂity comÂpeÂtiÂtions, includÂing two Gold Awards at the 2022 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, has bolÂstered Mardouw Olive Estateâs ambiÂtions.
âWinning awards eased our abilÂity to reach the national South African marÂket through the major retailÂers of the counÂtry,â Philip King, Mardouw Olive Estate genÂeral manÂager, told Olive Oil Times. ââNow we are actively explorÂing export opporÂtuÂniÂties.â
South Africa might have a small comÂmuÂnity of proÂducÂers, but it is a comÂmuÂnity which works together.- Philip King, genÂeral manÂager, Mardouw Olive Estate
Initially, the estate, located in the Western Cape province, was dedÂiÂcated to wine-makÂing. However, olive culÂtiÂvaÂtion started to take root after the propÂerty changed hands in 2002.
âThanks to the supÂport of the agriÂscience facÂulty of Stellenbosch University, we were able to idenÂtify which olive tree culÂtiÂvars were best suited for our cliÂmate,â King said.
See Also:Producer ProfilesThe cliÂmate in the Western Cape province, South Africaâs most southÂwestÂern province, is often described as a Mediterranean cliÂmate due to its hot, dry sumÂmers and cool, wet winÂters.
Additionally, the province boasts many difÂferÂent microÂcliÂmates, priÂmarÂily due to the influÂences of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, which meet on the provinceâs southÂern shores.
âThis charÂacÂterÂisÂtic cliÂmate has led the vast majorÂity of South African olive oil proÂducÂers to estabÂlish their home here since sevÂeral difÂferÂent olive culÂtiÂvars thrive in these conÂdiÂtions,â King said.
Approximately 95 perÂcent of the counÂtryâs proÂducÂers are in the Western Cape.
Now, Mardouwâs agronÂoÂmists grow widely known variÂeties such as Frantoio, Favolosa (Fs-17), Coratina, Nocellara, Mission and Kalamata. Overall, the estate is home to more than 50,0000 olive trees.
Soth African Olive Oils
South Africaâs olive oil indusÂtry has seen sigÂnifÂiÂcant growth in recent years, with the counÂtryâs unique cliÂmate and soil conÂdiÂtions proÂvidÂing an ideal enviÂronÂment for olive culÂtiÂvaÂtion. The indusÂtry has expanded rapidly since the 1990s, with the numÂber of olive farms growÂing from just a handÂful to over 200 today. The majorÂity of South Africaâs olive oil is proÂduced in the Western Cape region, which is known for its Mediterranean-like cliÂmate. Many small-scale farmÂers have also entered the marÂket, proÂducÂing high-qualÂity, artiÂsanal olive oils. The indusÂtry has faced chalÂlenges in the form of drought and pests, but conÂtinÂued innoÂvaÂtion and investÂment bode well for its future growth and sucÂcess. Ten South African brands were awarded in the most recent NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.
âOur extra virÂgin olive oils tend to be robust prodÂucts,â King said. ââBut we also proÂduce an extra virÂgin olive oil halfway between delÂiÂcate and medium.â
However, the subÂtle difÂferÂences among Mardouw prodÂucts, which are sigÂnifÂiÂcant to olive oil enthuÂsiÂasts and proÂfesÂsional tasters, may someÂtimes be missed by the averÂage South African conÂsumer.
âThe South African conÂsumer, on averÂage, is still highly uneÂdÂuÂcated about high-qualÂity olive oil,â King said. ââThat is also why we conÂstantly work to inform the conÂsumer.â
King added that there had been some improveÂment in conÂsumer awareÂness over the years. Still, the chalÂlenge for high-qualÂity proÂducÂers in the counÂtry remains in difÂferÂenÂtiÂatÂing their prodÂucts from cheaper, imported olive oils. King said this is cruÂcial to set a fair price for South African proÂducÂers.
âWe go as far as putting the acidÂity levÂels of our extra virÂgin olive oils on our labels and keep remindÂing peoÂple always to verÂify that what they buy truly fulÂfills the minÂiÂmum requireÂments for extra virÂgin olive oil,â King said.
As in many other marÂkets, growÂing awareÂness about olive oilâs health benÂeÂfits has been one of the driÂving facÂtors behind improvÂing qualÂity. ââThere is still a lot of work to do,â King said.
King expects the harÂvest to begin this year in the first week of April. ââThat is when we plan to start the harÂvest,â he said. ââFrom the first day, all the hand-picked olives are transÂformed with state-of-the-art techÂnoloÂgies and stored in steel conÂtainÂers.â
Next, the estateâs expert blender evalÂuÂates the qualÂity and the charÂacÂterÂisÂtics of each olive oil variÂetal. Based on this analyÂsis, the comÂpany decides which blends it will make.
âWhile we work to obtain a prodÂuct with cerÂtain charÂacÂterÂisÂtics, our blend will be difÂferÂent every year, based on how the seaÂson went,â King said.
It is still too early for Mardouwâs experts to estiÂmate how the new crop year will be. ââSummer at the moment is unfoldÂing and is very hot; we even had a couÂple of days over 40 ÂșC,â King said.
While the counÂtry expeÂriÂenced drought for sevÂeral years before 2020, the curÂrent seaÂson will unlikely be impacted by water scarcity.
In the high-denÂsity olive groves manÂaged by the farm, ferÂtilÂizaÂtion and irriÂgaÂtion are of the utmost imporÂtance. However, durÂing the recent drought, water availÂabilÂity for irriÂgaÂtion was conÂseÂquently reduced. ââHaving sufÂfiÂcient water is probÂaÂbly our numÂber one priÂorÂity,â King said.
Last crop year, the farm had a bumper olive harÂvest, which resulted in a record olive oil yield. ââWe proÂduced 55,000âŻliters of olive oil,â King said.
While there are no sigÂnifÂiÂcant agroÂnomic chalÂlenges, such as pathogens that might damÂage the trees or impact the yield, one of the keys to Mardouwâs qualÂity is the conÂstant monÂiÂtorÂing of the trees.
âThat allows us to promptly interÂvene whenÂever we see a tree is not farÂing as expected,â he said.
Given the high numÂber of proÂducÂers in the region, Mardouw Olive Estate and its peers colÂlabÂoÂrate for the harÂmoÂnious develÂopÂment of the secÂtor, which resulted in the creÂation of the South Africa Olive Industry Association.
âI think olive growÂing is the one indusÂtry where the proÂducÂers tend to stick together,â King said. ââWe are govÂerned by the assoÂciÂaÂtion, of which I am also a board memÂber.â
Activities carÂried on by the assoÂciÂaÂtion and its memÂbers include trainÂing proÂgrams for growÂers. ââWe do workÂshops or semÂiÂnars on the most relÂeÂvant topÂics. Most growÂers will take a day or two off their work to be updated or to refresh notions on a speÂcific matÂter,â King said.
He added that local proÂducÂers colÂlabÂoÂrate for the comÂmon good, includÂing tastÂing events and regÂuÂlar meetÂings where new ideas are shared.
âI think it is sigÂnifÂiÂcant,â King conÂcluded. ââSouth Africa might have a small comÂmuÂnity of proÂducÂers, but it is a comÂmuÂnity which works together.â
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