Olive trees have been grown around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC. Spain is the world’s largest producer, manufacturing almost half of the world’s olive oil. Other large producers are Italy, Greece, Portugal, Tunisia, Turkey and Morocco.
This plant life supports people and wildlife, providing valuable natural resources such as timber, fibre, food and medicine, as well as essential ecosystem services including protecting Mozambique¡¯s soils and watersheds. However, the survival of many of Mozambique¡¯s unique plants is threatened by human activities.
How are olives harvested in South Africa?
Olives are harvested by ‘milking‘. Ripe olives fall onto a net under the tree and gathered into bins. Olives can be harvested by hand or by machinery, Hand-harvesting, often associated with less damage to olives and better quality oil, contributes greatly to the production costs – in South Africa, up to 40% of the total cost.