The effect of harvest timing and irrigation on the quality of olive oil

Olive oil production in Australia has increased significantly in the past decade, and will soon reach about forty thousand tonnes per annum. While some Mediterranean countries have well established, modern olive oil industries, the Australian industry is still in its infancy. In order to compete in the world market, the Australian olive oil industry requires information on the response of olive cultivars in Australian conditions, especially when to harvest and irrigate to produce high quality olive oil. This study investigated the effect of harvest timing and irrigation on the quality of olive oil. It was conducted on a commercial olive grove in southern New South Wales over a three year period. It involved harvesting, extraction and analysis of the oil at 6 harvest times from early February to late July. A number of irrigation regimes were imposed in this study, although management was difficult due to drought conditions and lack of available water. The study provides very useful information and guidelines not only for the Australian olive industry, but also for the international olive oil producing community