International Olive Council

MARKET NEWSLETTER APRIL 2012

In 2010/11, China imported 33 227.2 t of olive oil and olive pomace oil, equating with a season-on-season increase of 62%. Separated by product category, 82% of this tonnage was virgin olive oil (27 184.9 t), 7% (2 347.4 t) was olive oil and 11% (3 694.8 t) was olive pomace

MEDIA WATCH APRIL 2012

Third Olive Bank in Izmir, Turkey, to Help Stem Genetic Erosion - Further safeguarding olive biodiversity by setting up the world’s third olive germplasm bank – in Izmir, Turkey – is at the top of the agenda for a meeting at the International Olive Council’s Madrid headquarters on April 13. The creation of a collection at sufficient distance from the existing ones in Marrakesh, Morocco, and Córdoba, Spain, is seen as prudent to help ensure plant survival

Meeting on molecular markers and presentation of protocol for management of world olive collections

Following the brief it was given by the IOC Council of Members, the Executive Secretariat assembled the managers of the world olive collections of Córdoba (IFAPA), Morocco and Izmir at IOC headquarters on 13 April to draw up the work schedule for the start of plant shipments to the Izmir varietal collection and the completion of the Marrakech collection. Representatives from the University of Córdoba and from the Agricultural and Food Research & Technology Institute (IRTA) also took part in the meeting at which a protocol was proposed for the management of the international collections.

Discussions also broached the possibility of putting forward a project to the Council for the molecular characterisation of the olive plant material held in the Marrakech collection in 2013 via the application of a common set of microsatellites (SSRs).

MARKET NEWSLETTER MARCH 2012

Spain’s Olive Oil Agency has announced that Spanish olive oil production is hitting record levels in the 2011/12 season, having clocked up 1 560 500 t by the end of February 2012, which lies well ahead of the 1 416 000 t produced in 2003/04 and 185 000 t above the

MEDIA WATCH MARCH 2012

Experts that advise the International Olive Council on the chemical analysis of olive oil are meeting in its Madrid headquarters today (March 23) and tomorrow to discuss issues including the results

IOC to take on three new trainees

A fresh batch of three young university graduates from member countries will be joining the Executive Secretariat on 16 April 2012 under the IOC’s official traineeship scheme.

International Olive Council (IOC) to award cash prize of €5,000 to author of Best Olive Article!

An international jury will select the “best article”, i.e. the best written, most original, most innovative, best documented, most comprehensive and most deeply researched article promoting the desire to discover/enjoy olive oil and table olives and/or to know more about them.

GUIDE TO GOOD PRACTICE IN GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS (GIs)

Geographical indications (GIs) are an important value-creation tool for agricultural foodstuffs. Identifying a product with a geographical origin opens up potentially significant opportunities for producers. Recognition of a GI generates added value and can create useful synergies with the geographical area with which the product is identified.

This guide is intended as a working tool. It is designed to help the authorities and applicants to prepare the necessary documentation to set up a GI for an olive oil or table olives that provides consumers with assurances that the product associated with the GI comes from its stated geographical origin.

The advice provided is only for guidance; it does not have legal effect or carry legal weight.

MARKET NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012

U.S. imports of olive oil and olive pomace oil made a record figure of 292 048 t in the 2010/11 crop year (running from October 2010 to September 2011), going up by 7% from the season before. If we analyse this tonnage by grade, it emerges that 65% of imports

Director of Pakistan’s Barani Institute visits IOC

Some weeks ago, the Executive Secretariat was contacted by Dr Muhammad Tariq, the Director of the Barani Agricultural Research Institute of Pakistan, who was very interested in the International Olive Council. The Secretariat put together a programme of visits and appointments for Dr Tariq at the IOC headquarters and several institutions in Andalusia.

MARIO SOLINAS QUALITY AWARD OF THE IOC

The international competition for extra virgin olive oils leading to the Mario Solinas
Quality Award of the International Olive Council is based on Decision

MEDIA WATCH FEBRUARY 2012

The International Olive Council has called for applications for grants to cofund activities promoting olive oil and table olives in its member countries. According to its call for proposals, it would welcome pitches for educational

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE AWARD OF GRANTS TO ORGANISE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE AWARD OF GRANTS TO ORGANISE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE OLIVE SECTOR IN IOC MEMBER COUNTRIES

CREATION OF PILOT DEMONSTRATION NURSERIES CENTRES (QUALITY ENHANCEMENT THROUGH NURSERIES DEVELOPMENT)

The IOC is in the process of submitting a project to the Common Fund for Commodities for the creation of pilot nurseries in four of its member countries. In this context, it is seeking an agency to execute the project (PEA). Any interested applicants should note that the closing date for the submission of proposals is 9 March 2012.

Official IOC traineeship scheme

The IOC Executive Secretariat intends to award three traineeships for between three to six months at the IOC headquarters for young university graduates from the member countries. The trainee profiles are published on this website. The deadline for applications for the first traineeship is up to an including 6 March 2012 while that for the other two traineeships has been set at 16 March (inclusive).