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California olive industry takes root

The California olive revival of the past 15 years has seen a quiescent industry come dramatically to life. By fall 2008, an estimated 19,570 acres of olives were planted, tripling from 3 years prior. Another 10,000 acres were planned in 2009, and the production of premium olive oil was predicted to triple in the next 3 years from 400,000 to 1.2 million gallons. In the next issue of California Agriculture journal, researchers review the role of a new, scientifically selected and trained sensory-evaluation panel in raising the quality of the state's olive oil; examine the potential for super-high-density olive culture and new European cultivars in California; and present research on control of olive fruit fly, a primary pest of this crop.

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