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<pre>The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) "Landline" program presented a
story on television today. The abstract is as follows:

Olive Special
Reporter: Prue Adams
Before June 30 this year there was a stream of prospectuses launched onto
the market, looking for investment in olive-growing projects.

It comes at a time when the industry in Australia has taken a very distinct
turn from the boutique to mainstream. By 2000 the latest RIRDC report
(launched late August '99) estimates there'll be 1.5 million trees in the
ground.
Susan Sweeney at the Department of Primary Industries in S.A has done a lot
of work finding out where the trees are planted. Here are her
up-to-the-minute figures.

Over the past ten years the amount of olive products imported into Australia
has increased from 30 million dollars worth to 115 million dollars - most of
that was olive oil (not table olives).
To put it another way we import 97% of what we consume, so this latest
strike at Olive Oil is aimed at replacing those imports then establishing
overseas markets.
Most olives come from Spain (28.8%) and Italy (22.8%) but there is
significant production in Greece, Tunisia and more recently Egypt.
Australia has some major advantages because we have cheap flat land,
Mediterranean climate and we can begin from scratch with the right varieties
and orchards designed for modern harvesting equipment, but we do have
competitors.
The so-called "old world" of Europe will probably get wise and re-invigorate
their old groves, and there are countries like Argentina, South Africa, and
even China that are entering the olive industry.

Contacts from the story:
Ian Rowe
President , Australian Olive Association
Phone: 08 9245 2100

Australian Olives
Phone: 1800 687 665
Website: www.olives.net

Coonalpyn Olives/Agrolive
Phone: 08 8338 2799
E-mail: agrolive@webspace.com.au

Barkworth Olive Groves
Phone: 07 3236 8800
E-mail: bogl@barkworth.com.au

Koorian Olives
Phone: 08 9277 8011
E-mail: rmoltoni@iinet.net.au

Qld Department of Natural Resources
Website: www.bom.gov.au/silo


I hope that helps answer questions regarding olives in Australia to date.


Phil
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