OLIVE HARVEST: A CRUCIAL PHASE FOR EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION
In this article, we’ll explore how olives are born, grow, and develop.
MARCH-APRIL: Bud Break This is when the flower clusters, known as “mignole” (each containing 5 to 60 flowers, depending on the year), start to form from the buds. Temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius are not tolerated during this phase.
MAY-JUNE: Flowering Lasting about ten days, the flowers are small with four white petals and yellow anthers, giving the olive tree from afar a creamy cloud-like appearance.
JULY-AUGUST: Fruit Set The fruit begins to form. Out of the numerous newly born flowers, only a small percentage will set fruit due to high rates of flower abortion and ovary development difficulties. Except for a few fertile varieties, most olives (which are self-sterile) are cross-pollinated by wind rather than insects. Weather conditions (dry and windy, temperature around 15°C) are crucial for a successful outcome. Once set, the fruits start to grow in weight and size at a regular pace (slowing down in case of drought) until late November. During July and August, fruit drop is common, often exacerbated by heat, significantly affecting the harvest. It takes about 750,000 flowers to produce 15,000 olives, as only 7-8% will set fruit and just 2% will reach maturity for harvesting.
SEPTEMBER: Veraison Around September, olives begin to change color from green to yellow to dark purple. The different stages are referred to as “yellowing,” “surface veraison,” and “deep veraison.”
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER: Ripening Depending on the region, ripening occurs between October and November. Olives take on the characteristic appearance and color of their variety (smooth or frosted surface, color ranging from violet to black). The flesh is soft, fully pigmented, and when pressed, shows clear traces of oil. The degree of ripeness achieved by the drupes at the time of harvest is crucial for determining the organoleptic characteristics of the oil, those distinctive traits that consumers perceive at first taste.
