Producers of olive oil in South Africa celebrates a record harvest

When South African producers started harvesting in late February, the yield was not expected to surpass last year’s total. However, the 2021 harvest is now on par with 2020, in which 1.5 million liters of extra virgin olive oil were produced, and some are calling it a record harvest. Vittoria Jooste, manager of the South African Olive Industry Association (SA Olive), originally estimated the yield would reach 1.36 million liters, but has since revised her estimate. “[The harvest is] broadly in line with last year,” she told Olive Oil Times. ​“Our current estimate for the 2021 harvest is 1.6 million liters of olive oil.” Jooste added that 113 extra virgin olive oils have been entered into the SA Olive Awards, which ​“is a good indication of the quality of the 2021 South African extra virgin olive oils.” Nick Wilkinson, who co-owns the Rio Largo Olive Estate with his wife, Brenda, in the Western Cape province’s Scherpenheuwel Valley, said they had an ​“excellent harvest in both ...