SA olive industry
satisfying world wide demand
Surrounded by grape vines and wine estates, it
is hard to believe Paarl is actually the centre of another
South African industry, the olive production.
Introduced to South Africa by an Italian immigrant
The olive tree was introduced to South Africa by an Italian
immigrant who did experimental work on the lower slopes
of Table Mountain in Newlands. But it was in Paarl where,
in 1925, Ferdinando Costa started his olive growing in earnest
on a stony hill at Huguenot on the eastern side of the village.
Nowadays, the Paarl Valley is still the centre of the local
olive industry.
Olive
Oil
World production: 2.433 million tons
RSA production: 400 tons
Table Olives
World production: 1390 500 tons
RSA production: 3 500 tons
Source: Cape Olive
Trust
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Growing industry
Even though South Africa is just a minor player in the industry,
the local olives and olive oils are becoming more popular.
“The industry is certainly growing in South Africa,”
confirmed John Scrimgeour, chairman of the South African
Olive Growers Association (SAOGA).
Scrimgeour said that because of its Mediterranean climate,
the Western Cape area is perfectly suitable for growing
olives. South Africa even has a bigger advantage than other
olive-growing countries like Greece and Italy, because it
is gifted with a longer summer season.
“That is why there is a world shortage of
black olives,”
“Since the winter sets in early in Europe, they´re
not able to get the olives fully ripe (black) and therefore
they are still green. That is why there is a world shortage
of black olives,” explains Scrimgeour. Because of
its sunny and warm conditions, South Africa, on the other
hand, is able to export naturally fermented black olives
and it´s busy satisfying worldwide demand for it.
Role-model for agriculture
However, the South African olive industry is not only thinking
about expanding production, it is also thinking of ideas
to develop living standards for its workers. One company
in particular is a role-model for agriculture, since it
has given its employees from previously disadvantaged communities’
shares in the company.
Conveniently situated in the Paarl valley with magnificent
views and a breathtaking water dam, the Cape Olive Trust
was a family business up to 1997. Now NewFarmers (a development
company in agribusiness) owns 96,5% with the remaining shares
held by the employees.
“We are not working harder now”
Employee, Barend Sylvester, said that owning shares in the
company gave them an opportunity to become part of a business,
to learn how decisions are being made and to get the right
inside knowledge. The workers in general are proud of what
they have achieved Sylvester said: “Yes, we are very
much involved in the company, but we are not working harder
now. We are working smarter”.
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