South Africa eyes global market for luxury olive oil

Published 2023년 5월 24일

Tridge summary

South Africa is emerging as a significant player in the extra virgin olive oil market, with farmers capitalizing on the country's Mediterranean climate and wine region topography to cultivate high-quality olives. Companies like Tokara are experiencing a surge in demand for their locally-produced oil, which has been recognized with international awards. The industry's growth is supported by the legacy of Giulio Bertrand, who pioneered olive cultivation in the late 1990s. Despite facing competition from established European producers, South Africa's olive oil industry is poised for expansion, especially in response to climate-related challenges in Europe that have increased global olive oil prices.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

South Africa is famous for its wines but not necessarily for olive oil, where Greece, Italy and Spain are the undisputed kings. But the country's farmers are undeterred, eyeing a potential share of the lucrative market for top-quality extra virgin oils. At Tokara, a farm about an hour's drive from Cape Town, workers pull rakes through branches to make the ripening olives tumble to the ground. Harvesting the green treasure is under full swing in this popular wine region at the southern tip of Africa, where the landscape is reminiscent of Tuscany. "Can you smell" the aroma, asks Gert van Dyk, 49, the farm's operations manager, holding a glass of freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil that clinched an award in the United States earlier this year. "You can taste the nice bitterness at the back of the throat. Then the pepperiness comes through and the back of the throat is burning nicely," he says rolling the light green liquid over his tongue like a wine master. The estate originally ...

Source: News24