Share
Towards a strengthened cooperation between China and the IOC
A delegation of representatives from various Chinese companies and institutions, led by Mr Deng Yu, Director of the Longnan Olive Oil Research Centre, and Mr Robert Woo, President of the Olive Oil Life Association / Beijing Regalland Convention Exhibition Co. Ltd, visited the headquarters of the International Olive Council (IOC) in Madrid on September 6th.
The delegation was received by the Executive Director of the intergovernmental organisation dedicated to olive oil and table olives, Jaime Lillo, who was accompanied by Maria Juarez, Head of the Economy and Promotion Unit; Catarina Bairrao, Head of the Technical Cooperation and Training Department; and Francisco Javier Larraona, Head of the Observatory and Information Systems Department. Mercedes Fernández, Head of the Research and Standardisation Unit, joined the meeting by videoconference.
The Chinese delegation presented Mr Lillo with a copy of the World Catalogue of Olive Tree Varieties translated into Chinese, as well as a technical copy.
Following the presentations, Mr Lillo explained the mission and activities of the IOC with a focus on the evolution of China’s olive oil imports. He pointed out that the Asian country was now one of the world’s main importers of olive oil, accounting for 4% of global imports. As for Mr Deng Yu, he commented that the outlook for olive oil consumption in his country was very promising, with consumption increasing by an average of 7% per year, and that the Chinese population was showing a growing interest in olive products’ unique health properties. With the olive tree having been introduced to China 60 years ago, today almost 120,000 hectares of olive trees of 157 varieties are grown there, producing an average of 90,000 tonnes of olives a year. The country has around fifty oil mills, producing an average of 11,000 tonnes of olive oil per year, and even has its own national olive germplasm bank.
The Chinese delegation was particularly interested in the steps to be taken to enable China to join the international organisation and the IOC’s recognition of laboratories and tasting panels. China currently has one laboratory for the physico-chemical analysis of olive oils and one IOC-recognised tasting panel. With an active olive sector, China has boosted efforts over several years to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with producers, universities and research centres in IOC member olive-growing countries.
The Longnan region, in Gansu province, is now a major olive oil production area. Over the last few years, the IOC has carried out several promotional campaigns in the country.
