Olive trees often swing between heavy and light crops. This article explains why biennial bearing happens and how growers can manage it for steadier harvests.

The Australian olive oil industry has experienced rapid growth over the past three decades, evolving into a significant agricultural sector. With rising domestic demand, a strong export presence, and a reputation for high-quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), understanding the distribution of olive trees across the country provides essential insight into production capacity and regional specialisations.

Mechanical trunk shakers have transformed olive harvesting in modern olive groves. A new study: Damping behavior of olive trees under trunk shaking (Ghonimy, Alharbi & Ibrahim, 2025) provides growers with the first detailed breakdown of how vibration energy moves through olive trees and the soil beneath them. The findings reveal how attachment height, trunk diameter, and the tree-soil interaction determine whether ...

As the world's leading olive oil producer, Spain plays a pivotal role in the global market, contributing around 40-50% of worldwide supply. After a challenging period marked by droughts and extreme temperatures that halved production in recent years, the 2024/2025 harvest signaled a strong recovery. Now, with the 2025/2026 crop year on the horizon, industry experts and producers are optimistic about sustained growth. This article explores the ...

The International Olive Council (IOC) has recently updated its trade standard, which sets the world’s benchmark for olive oil quality. These standards are what laboratories and authorities use to decide if an oil is “extra virgin”, “virgin” or “lampante” and whether it can be sold in export markets. In June 2025, the European Union formally supported a series of major testing changes at the 121st IOC Council of Members meeting. These changes ..

Lichen is a fascinating organism formed through a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium. It’s not a single organism, but a composite that relies on both partners to survive. The fungus provides structure and protection, while the algal or bacterial component performs photosynthesis to produce food. read more....

No doubt, she then took some home to her humble abode and, to her even greater delight, was able to duplicate the process. People still cure olives today in some Greek islands by dipping a basket of olives daily into the sea for 10 days. When the inner flesh is dark brown, the olives are ready to eat. To begin the brine processing, place your clean olives in cold water and change the water each day for 10 days. (I use large, plastic, covered...