Luc Poulain d’Andecy, new president of Promolive, talks about the olive harvest among the family olive growers.
Luc Poulain d’Andecy, as president of Promovolive, what is your assessment of the impact of drought on olive trees this year?
If the summer was certainly very hot, the climatic conditions were not so bad for the olive tree even if we lost half of the usual production.
Luckily we had severe thunderstorms and rain when it was needed, in spring and September. Some have been able to use drip. It is necessary to avoid watering the summer in order not to give too large a core. Spring and autumn watering is good enough for the olive tree. We recommend family olive growers. There are 30,000 in France out of a total of 32,000, which represents 25 to 30% of French production.
The mills are opening these days. Is the drought causing a premature harvest this fall?
It depends on the varieties of olive trees. Some olive growers wait until the last moment, at the end of November, to harvest so that it is as mature as possible. Green olives, the ones whose ripening has begun, can be brought to our mill from Tuesday 25 October, ten days earlier than usual. The flavor is more intense, herbaceous, fiery in the finish. But the vast majority of family olive growers prefer to harvest black olives later, with a subtle, fatter and even more pleasant taste.
And in this specific case, when should they be withdrawn?
Our oil mill is open until early January to receive old-fashioned very ripe and fruity olives. You should know that for 8 kg of green olives there is a liter of oil. At the end of the season, for black olives, 4-5 kg give a liter of oil. Later, even for the harvest, you must not wait too long, otherwise the olives will fall to the ground. And the current climate, mild and humid, favors this maturity.
To understand, did the olive tree, a tree adapted to the Mediterranean climate, still resist drought well?
Up to a certain point of course! But the olive tree can block its evapotranspiration in very hot weather, while the oak can lose 1,000 liters of water per day. The olive tree has a water suction capacity that is two to three times greater than other trees in our region.
An evening in La Calmette for the World Olive Tree Festival
On Saturday 26 November at 8 pm, La Calmette sports hall (Chemin de la Croix des cocoons), Promolive organizes an evening as part of the World Olive Tree Festival with tastings of five dishes, as many wines and especially olive oils from South Africa, United States (California), France, Spain and Greece (from a millenary olive tree). Price: € 28 (aperitif and coffee included). Reservations by 18 November at 06 64 57 93 50.
