[1. OLIVE TREE ORIGIN]
[2. OLIVE TREE GEOGRAPHY]
[3. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF OLIVE OIL]
[4. OLIVE OIL FUTURE]
[5. OTHER USES OF OLIVE GROVE]
[6. OLIVE GROVE CULTURE]
[7. VARIETIES]
[8. OLIVE OIL KIND]
[9. DID YOU KNOW THAT...?]

 

1. OLIVE TREE ORIGIN  <I

If a tree had to be chosen as representative element around which the lifestyles of more Mediterranean people had been made up, there can be no doubt that Olive tree, Olea europaea, has been from the dawn of history the one which has more times played this role.

Experts locate the origin of olive tree culture on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, in the coasts of the Lebanon and Palestine dominated by Phoenicians between 6,000-5,000 b.C. From here, it spread to Egypt, Crete, Sicily, Italian Peninsula, Tunisia, Iberian Peninsula, etc.

Olive Oil was really important for Egyptians who used it as light source, ointment, cosmetic and possibly as food. For them, goddess Isis passed on to people the Olive Oil extracting science.

According to most sources, Phoenicians brought Olive Oil culture to the Iberian Peninsula around the end of the second millenium, although some researchers state that its culture was already known in the South of the Peninsula when these people came to its costs and that what they really taught to Iberians was to improve their culture and extraction techniques. Anyway, the Phoenicians influence on primitive olive growing is undeniable.

During Roman period, and surely from the first century b.C. Olive Oil was being exported to other Mediterranean regions.

2.OLIVE TREE GEOGRAPHY   <I

As it is known, Olive Trees are very long-lived, having a life span of 300 to 400 years old still with good production rate. Olive Tree is essentially rural and has a great variability, that is to say, it alternates high and low production years. It grows well in low fertility soils and extremely dry climates, although with good hydric conditions the productions are multiplied. Thus, it feels ease in the Mediterranean climate area.

The current olive tree growing world surface reaches 8.5 million hectares, from which 2.2 million are located in Spain. Italy, Portugal, Greece and France are the rest of the more impotant producers, as it is shown in the following table:

Country	Surface (Ha)	Varieties
European Union
Spain	2.200.000	Picual, Hojiblanca, Ecijano,Cornicabra, Arbequina, Picudo
Italy	2.000.000	Frantoio, Lecino, Ascolana, Coratina
Portugal	600.000	Galea, Verdial, Redondil
Greece	550.000	Koroneiki. Conservolea, Kalamata
France	40.000	Picholine, Salonenque, Lucques
Other countries
Turkey	700.000	Edremit, Ayvalik, Domat
Soury	400.000	Soury
Lebanon	30.000	Beladi

Source: Nueva Olivicultura, 3rd Edición. Andrés Guerrero.

Spanish Olive Groves are extended at a higher or lower scale through 14 of the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities.

DISTRIBUTION OF SPANISH OLIVE GROVE SURFACE BY AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES

AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY	OLIVE GROVE HECTARES
Andalusia	1.299.531
Aragón	51.874
Balearic Islands	8.946
Canary Island	8
Castile-La Mancha	303.095
Castile-León	5.236
Catalonia	116.656
Extremadura	231.851
Madrid	23.344
Murcia	19.172
Navarra	2.304
La Rioja	1.770
Valencia	92.904
Others	1.590
Total	2.158.273

If we analyse the Spanish Olive Grove surface regarding the purpose of its production, two million hectares are aimed at the production of olives for making Olive Oil while just 150,000 hectares are aimed at table olives.

 

3. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF OLIVE OIL  <I

The European Union produces more than 76% of the world oil production. A 20% of the whole Olive Oil consumed in the world is Spanish Olive Oil.

Spanish production sector generates around 2175 million euros, which represents the 11% of Spanish agricultural production.

Olive Grove is a mainly social culture regarding jobs: 400,000 cultures and more than 8,000 steady jobs in Olive Oil production factories, 36 million seasonal jobs during the harvesting and treatments periods and more than a million seasonal jobs during Olive pressing, without taking into account indirect jobs. Moreover, its production areas coincide with the less developed regions and the areas with the higher unemployment rate of the European Union.

During the 90s, a continuous decrease in the Olive Oil production has happened due to long-lasting drought, even reducing production to the 45% of an ordinary campaign during 1995/1996. However, for the following campaign, when it finally rained enough, a production of around 650,000 tons of Olive Oil was achieved.

From that year, the European Union Agricultural Policy provided several helps for Olive growers aimed at maintaining the incomes level of this sector. These helps were an important percentage of Olive Growers incomes. However, European Union considered to change the helps awarding system, favouring a progressive liberalisation of the market (changing from a production direct proportional help to a fixed amount per Olive tree, intervention would dissapear, etc.), which would mean for most Olive growers an important reduction of helps. This problem became the more important news in this sector.

4. OLIVE OIL FUTURE  <I

Nowadays, the belief that Olive Oil future depends on production according to quality standards is maintained. These standards would allow to establish a clear difference with the rest of food oils with which Olive Oil competes with a great price difference. In terms of maximum quality, we speak about Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The knowledge by society of the excellent properties for health of this product is an important ally for its acknowledgement. There are lots of beneficial effects attributed to Olive Oil, demonstrated by many studies and that have raised world public awareness and mainly the American population awareness, maybe the most different from the Mediterranean food habits and with many heart problems. In addition to its advantages against heart problems, the beneficial effects of olive oil on growing, mineralisation and bone development have been highlighted since it includes a relation of linolenic-alphalinolenic acids similar to mother's milk. Oleic acid is also very beneficial for the brain and nerve system, since it facilitates their connections when it becomes part of the myelin and the nerve terminals.

At present, one of the more important commitments of Olive tree sector is the environmentally friendly culture and extraction system, derived from the existing demand in society of these kind of products in which synthesis chemical treatments are omited and which have proved to have even better properties for health. In this sense, it is outstanding the work carried out in the regions of Sierra de Segura and Subbética mountain ranges in Jaén and Córdoba, respectively.

One of the tools that is reaching a larger development in the quality line for Olive Oil production are the Denominations of Origin. A Denomination of Origin means the acknowledgement of prestige of the Oil coming from a particular region. The National Institute of Denominations of Origin (INDO) is the organisation which ratifies the brand awarded to the selected oils at Spanish level. The acknowledged oil of a region with Denomination of Origin must accomplish with the organoleptic characteristics of the "Extra Virgin" Olive Oil, that is to say: to have an especial link with the environment in which it is produced, in a way that it will make a difference of its characteristics with regard to other areas; to come from indigenous olive varieties and to use a production method characteristic of such area.

The Spanish Agriculture Ministry has 17 acknowledged Denominations of Origin for Virgin Olive Oil, from which 8 of them are found in Andalusia.

Sierra de Segura (Jaén)

The predominant olive variety of this area is the picual, grown by the 97% of olive trees of this protected area, although other varieties can be found such as: verdala, royal and manzanilla from Jaén. The Sierra de Segura Denomination of Origin includes Olive Oils produced in a surface of 42,125 hectares distributed among the municipalities of Beas de Segura, Benatae, Chiclana de Segura, Génave (site distinguished by the production of Organic Olive Oil), Hornos de Segura, Orcera, La Puerta de Segura, Puente Génave, Segura de la Sierra, Santiago-Pontones, Siles, Torres de Albanchez and Villarrodrigo. The average production approximately reaches 65,000 tons of Olives and 14,000 tons of Olive Oil.

Sierra Mágina (Jaén)

This Denomination of Origin is made up of 35 entities which produce an average of 180,000 tons of olives and 40,000 tons of Olive Oil, mainly, a 80% of the picual olive variety. These olive groves, constitute the 12% of the province of Jaén's whole surface, 61,000 hectares distributed among the municipalities of Albanchez de Úbeda, Bedmar-Garcíez, Bélmez de la Moraleda , Cabra del Santo Cristo, Cambil- Arbuniel, Campillo de Arenas, Cárcheles (Carchel and Carchelejo), Huelma, Solera, Jimena, Jódar, Larva, Mancha Real, Pegalajar and Torres. This is the Denomination of Origin with the largest surface and production in Spain.

Sierra de Cazorla (Jaén)

In 31,000 hectares of protected area an average of 120,000 tons of olives are harvested and 30,000 tons of Olive Oil are produced, mainly of the picual olive variety (94%) and the indigenous royal olive variety (6%), which has this name due to the reddish colour that it has during ripening process. This Denomination of Origin includes the municipalities of Cazorla, Chilluévar, Hinojares, Huesa, La Iruela, Peal de Becerro, Pozo Alcón, Quesada and Santo Tomé. It is made up by 18 entities: 10 cooperatives (olive oil mills), 7 industrial associations and 1 bottling company.

Baena (Córdoba)

The production area of the picudo, carrasqueño from Córdoba, lechín, chorrúo or jardúo, hojiblanca and picual olive varieties is located in the Southeast of the province of Córdoba. It includes the municipalities of Baena, Castro del Río, Luque, Doña Mencía, Nueva Carteya and Zuheros, located in the Olive tree regions of Nevadillo-Campiña, Campiña and Penibética.

Priego (Córdoba)

In the province of Córdoba, it offers the picudo, hojiblanca and picual olive varieties in the municipalities of Almedinilla, Carcabuey, Fuente Tójar and Priego de Córdoba.

Poniente de Granada

This Denomination of Origin includes the municipalities of Algarinejo, Alhama de Granada, Arenas del Rey, Cacín, Huetor Tájar, Íllora, Jayena, Loja, Montefrío, Moraleda de Zafayona, Salar, Santa Cruz del Comercio, Villanueva de Mesía, Zafarraya, Zagra and Moclín. It produces the following olive varieties: picudo, picual, hojiblanca, lucio, nevadillo from Alhama de Granada and loaime.

Montes de Granada

The main varieties obtained are picual, lucio and loaime and the secondary varieties are escarabajuelo, negrillo from Iznalloz, hojiblanca and gordal from Granada, harvested in the municipalities of Alamedilla, Alfacar, Alicún de Ortega, Benalúa de las Villas, Calicasas, Campotéjar, Cogollos Vega, Colomera, Darro, Dehesas de Guadix, Deifontes, Diezma, Fonelas, Gobernador, Guadahortuna, Güevéjar, Huélago, Iznalloz, the Northern area of La Peza, Montejícar, Montillana, Morelábor, Nívar, Pedro Martínez, Piñar, Torrecardela and Villanueva de las Torres.

Sierra de Cádiz

It offers Olive Oil from the following olive varieties: lechín from Seville, manzanilla, verdial from Huevar, verdial from Cádiz, hojiblanca, picual, alameña from Montilla and arbequina from seven municipalities of the province of Cádiz: Alcalá del Valle, Algodonales, Olvera, El Gastor, Setenil de las Bodegas, Torrealháquime, Zahara de la Sierra and two municipalities of the province of Seville: Coripe and Pruna.

Les Garrigues

The production area is located to the South of the province of Lérida, consisting of Les Garrigues region and some municipalities bordering the Segarra and Southern regions.

Ciurana

It includes a part of the province of Tarragona, which occupies from Les Garrigues of Lérida to the Priorato, El Bajo Campo, El Alto Campo, El Tarragonés and Ribera del Ebro regions.

Ebre-Montsiá

The production area includes lands located in the Bajo Ebro and Montsiá regions, both from the province of Tarragona, located in the Southest part of the Catalonian Autonomous Community.

Terra Alta

The production area includes the Terra Alta region and some municipalities of the Ribera del Ebro region, located in the Southwest of the Catalonian Autonomous Community.

Montes de Toledo

It produces Olive Oil from the regions of the Southwest of the province of Toledo and the Northeast of the province of Ciudad Real, having the Montes de Toledo mountain range as the centre.

Gata-Hurdes

This Denomination of Origin includes areas of the North mountain range in the province of Cáceres and natural regions such as the Gata mountain range, Hurdes, Gabriel and Galán, Valle del Ambroz, Jerte and La Vera.

Bajo Aragón

Oils from the region located to the West of the Aragón Autonomous Community, between the provinces of Zaragoza and Teruel, coinciding with the Southeastern part of the Ebro Basin.

Monterrubio

It bottles Oils from the East of the province of Badajoz produced in the regions of La Serena, La Siberia and Campiña Sur.

Mallorca

It includes all the oils produced in this island.

5. OTHER USES OF OLIVE GROVE  <I

The useful resources of Olive Grove are not only Olive Oil and Table Olives. Olive tree's wood, very hard and really beautiful, has been traditionally used for making furniture. At present, this rustic furniture are highly esteemed. Moreover, the olive-wood parquet floors are begining to be used, due to their outstanding resistance and hardness.

Apart from these traditional uses, very interesting results are being obtained from the use of subproducts from the Olive Oil production process, such as the use of Olive pits for the obtention of animal food, active coal, etc. the cogeneration of electrical energy from the orujillo (olive pit and pulp waste), the use of alpechín (liquid olive waste) as fertiliser and anticryptogamic, extraction of vitamin E and polyphenols, etc.

Researches on new uses of Olive groves and particularly of the subproducts of the Olive Oil production process has great importance for the economy and the environment of towns where this culture is developed, since the problems related to the management of alpechín and alperujo (solid an liquid mixture of olive waste) are some of the more urgent problems for Olive growing municipalities.

6. OLIVE GROVE CULTURE  <I

On this point, it is evident the role that Olive tree has played from ancient times and still plays now. Countryside landscape, mills, work distribution, organisation of rural society, commerce, implements, food, folklore are examples that Olive tree's traces are nearly infinite in town life. Therefore, common characteristics shared by the different Olive towns are also nearly infinite and at the same time, they are different for each one.

Likewise, Olive trees greatly contribute to Spanish landscape beauty, with a masterly finishing touch. Many foreigners and Spanish people coming from Spanish regions far away from Olive tree areas are absorbed and impressed by the beauty and majesty of Olive trees. Its colour scheme and its specific green, which is wanted to be exactly imitated but it cannot and which appears in the paint producers' catalogue as "olive green", are unique and incomparable.

The immense Olive grove areas so perfectly lined up, disciplined and austere undoubtedly predispose the spirit to contemplation, peace, respect and satisfaction.

For a long time, Olive Oil and sometimes just a small branch with olives have been the symbol of Spain to the rest of the world. Olive tree will always be fashionable, not only due to its incomparable and well known Oil, but because it has unsuspected tourist powers, which are starting to be justly valued, since itcontributes in such particular way to beautify Spanish lands.

Windmills are very portrayed and advertised while the beautiful Olive Oil Mills are not enhanced, although these mills with "beam" or "tower" press sometimes really are architectural masterpieces, with towers crowned by artistic domes and lovely weather vanes. Some of these mills are located in lovely sunny places, contemplated by traditional and magnificent contry houses, as it happens in the Sierra de Montoro mountain range (Córdoba).

The knowledge and spreading of the common history and facts which characterise Olive tree regions are resources to be explored in order to revalue their identity, to encourage tourism and to open new markets for their products. Several projects have been developed in this line, for instance:

Olive Oil Museum. This museum is the result of the consortium formed by the Town Council of Baeza (Jaén) and the Andalusian Autonomous Government, mostly supported by European Union funds through the Leader initiative. This consortium has made possible to set up an Olive Oil Museum, a Rural Tourism Lodging and a Hotel Management School in the Laguna Grande country estate, in the exceptional environment of the "Laguna Grande" area. In this museum, the most outstanding facilities of the most characteristic traditional mills have been reconstructed, as well as a cellar of great architectural value.

The Provincial Council of Jaén has already set in motion a tourist project focused on Olive Oil culture. Its main objective is to recover the original landscape for tourist use of the Jaén-Campo Real green route, an ancient way of the Olive Oil Train. This path crosses an entirely Olive tree region, where a tourist route with many landscape, gastronomic and architectural references, etc. is being developed around this way of living .

Other initiative set in motion in order to recover the Olive tree culture is the signalling of Denominations of Origin and the development of a rural accommodation network in the so-called Olive Oil Route....

From this short document, we can gather that the Olive Tree is an "living star", a first-rate resource, from whose proverbial and enormous richness we can take the maximum advantage.

 

7. VARIETIES  <I

The main Olive Tree varieties with a significant production are the following:

Picual
It receives this name, which means pointed, due its V-shaped Olives. This is the most important and widespread variety since it represents 50% of Spanish production and around 20% of World's production. Its production is mainly focused in the province of Jaén, where it originated, as well as in the provinces of Granada and Córdoba.
This variety is grown in approximately 645,000 hectares. The Olive's average weight varies from 2 to 3.66 grammes and its oil output is around 25%. It contains up to 80% of monounsaturated oleic acid, which is an important component for heart disease prevention, and only 4% of linoleic acid.

Picudo
Its origin can be found in Córdoba and its culture is widespread not only in this province but also in Granada and Málaga. It has a good oil output and its olives ripen late.

Hojiblanca
This variety originated in Lucena (Córdoba). The olive's average weight varies from 1.4 to 4.3 grammes and its oil output is around 23%. It is grown in the Córdoba and Málaga provinces and in Estepa (Seville).

Verdial
Oils from Verdial variety are sweet and very fruity. Its origin is found in Vélez-Málaga (Málaga), although it is widespread in the rest of Andalusia and Extremadura.

Arbequina
It is grown in Lérida and Tarragona. This variety provides a small size olive.

Empeltre
This variety originated in Pedrola (Zaragoza), although it is grown along the valley of the river Ebro. It provides smooth sweet aromatic Oil with a pale yellow colour.

Cornicabra
Its name refers to the curve of the olive, which is shaped like a goat's horn. It is also known as from cornezuelo. This variety originated in Mora (Toledo) and it represents around 12% of the whole Oil production.

Lechín
The name of this variety comes from its olives' pulp. It is grown in the provinces of Córdoba, Seville and Granada.

Manzanilla
These olives are mainly used as table olives. It originated in Dos Hermanas (Seville) and it is mainly grown there.

Gordal
This is other traditionally table olive variety. It also originated and is grown in Seville.

8. OLIVE OIL KIND  <I

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This is the best quality variety. Its scent must be clean, it cannot have any fault in smell or taste and the "fruity" attribute (olive fruity) must also be present. Its acidity must be lower than 0.8 %.

Virgin Olive Oil
Its quality is a bit lower than the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The "Fruity" attribute must be present, but a small organoleptic fault is allowed, less than 2.5 out of a 10 point scale. Its acidity can be 2% or less.

Lampante Olive Oil
This is the name for all the oils produced with an acidity more than 2% and/or with important organoleptic faults (more than 2.5 out of 10).
These are low quality oils resulting from fermentations produced in fruits due to pest attacks, fruits falling due to powerful winds or a bad treatment, bad Olive Oil production or preservation.
This Lampante Olive Oil cannot be directly consumed, it has to undergo a "Refining" process (correction) in order to make it suitable for consumption.

Refined Olive Oil
This is the Lampante Olive Oil that has undergone a refining process (correction made by distillations at extremely high temperatures and chemical products in order to remove acidity, bad smells and bad taste). This kind of oil is not directly commercialised.

Olive Oil
This is the name for the blend of Refined Olive Oil and Virgin or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The Virgin and Refined proportions depend on the producer's criterion and it cannot be detected by the Official analytical measures.

Pomace Oil
This is the oil resulting from the orujo/alperujo extraction. This extraction is made by dissolvents. Therefore, it has to compulsorily undergo a refining process before being offered to consumers. At this stage, it is called refined pomace oil; it is not directly commercialised.

Olive Pomace Oil
This is a blend of Refined Pomace Oil and Virgin or Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

9. DID YOU KNOW THAT...? <I

Origin
Olive grove culture in order to extract Olive Oil has its origins in the Palaeolithic and Neolithic (5000 to 3500 b.C.) in Crete, although the most ancient written documents which have arrived to our time are the Minoic Tables from king Minos Court dating back from 2500 years b. C.

Egypt
More than 5000 years ago, egyptians used Olive Oil in order to light their temples. This civilisation practised Oil extraction by natural mechanical procedures and used its fat for cosmetic purposes and to maintain mummys, while its leaves served as ornament for Pharaohs.

Rome
Romans demanded conquered populations to pay taxes with Olive Oil. They introduced this olive culture into overcome lands and their appreciation for its fat took them even to make a classification according to quality. This classification is the following: "oleum ex albis ulivis", milled Olive Oil from green olives; "oleum viride" from olives harvested in the most advanced ripening stage; "oleum maturum" from ripe olives; "oleum caducum" from olives fallen to the ground and "oleum cibarium" from nearly rotten olives, which was the variety consumed by slaves.

Greek Mythology
Greek Mythology places the Olive tree birth in the dispute for the control of Athens between Palas Atenea and Poseidon. Poseidon with a bump of his trident created the beautiful, strong, fast and agile horse, while Palas Atenea, created the Olive tree from a spear "from which not only its fruits would be good for eating, but also from them an extraordinary liquid would be extracted and it would serve to feed people, being rich in flavour and energy, in order to ease their wounds and to strengthen their body, able to make flames to light nights...".

Antiquity
- The oldest known Olive Tree fossil that has been found was planted twenty million years ago, during the Upper Miocene.
- The first person who referred to Olive Oil as "liquid gold" was Homer.
- There is an Olive Tree which is three hundred years old. It is located in Fuentebuena, in the municipality of Beas de Segura, in Jaén. In the 19th century it already produced around 850 kilos of olives. It measures nine metres high by three metres an a half of base perimeter and its branches' volume is 260 cubic metres.
- Hammurabi Code, who was king of Babylon in 2500 b.C., regulated Olive Oil Trade.
- Spanish people took Olive trees to America during the 16th and 17th centuries.
- The Spanish word for oil, aceite, comes from Arab al-zait, which is translated as Olive tree's juice.
- An Olive tree do not produce Olives until it is more than five years old and it reaches maturity in 20 years. When it is more than a hundred years old, its production decreases but this fact do not influece the quality of olives obtained every year.

Proverbs
As these popular Spanish proverbs say: "Olive Oil and wine, balmy and divine" and "If your stomach hurts, drinking Oilve Oil is a must and if your pain do not disappear, at least a shining tummy you will have".

Properties
- When you prepare a salad, Olive Oil layer avoids that vegetables look unhealthy.
- Folk wisdom confer qualities on Olive Oil to reduce the effects of nicotine. To this purpose, take five Extra Virgin Olive Oil drops each morning on an empty stomach. It is guaranteed that it not only remove the nicotine effects but it also helps to get rid of nicotine addiction.
- Olive Oil keeps its organoleptic characteristics intact up to 18 months. It has to be properly protected from light, air and heat in order to maintain its qualities.

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