Olives have been grown around the Mediterranean for many millennia and have always represented an important source of livelihood for the people living there. Olive trees grow both on the edge of the Sahara and in beautiful Tuscany. But traditional olive farming is giving way to industrial cultivation.
How does traditional and industrial olive cultivation work?
Olive cultivation traditionally takes place in Mediterranean regions, where olive trees are planted in widely scattered groves and harvested by hand. Industrial farming leads to higher pesticide use and water consumption, which causes environmental problems. In Germany, the cultivation of olives is experimental and economically less important.
Olive trees can get very old
Many Mediterranean vacationers are familiar with such images: ancient, gnarled olive trees with their cracked bark, rustic trunks and silvery leaves have shaped the image of the Mediterranean landscape like no other plant. Olive trees can grow very old; 600 to 700 years are not uncommon. Some specimens are known to be several thousand years old.
Centuries-old plantations make way for new ones
Traditionally, olive trees are planted widely scattered in groves, often together with other plants. In Tunisia, olives are usually associated with almond trees. However, there is not space for many trees on such plantations because olives need a lot of space from other plants - especially if they are old trees. A maximum of 200 olive trees grow per hectare on a traditional plantation; in dry areas there are significantly fewer. As a result, traditional cultivation does not allow for very high yields, which is why industrial plantations are increasingly being cultivated these days. The fruits have been harvested by hand since ancient times.
Fatal consequences for the environment
Up to 2,000 olive trees are planted per hectare, which are then torn up again after 25 to 30 years at the latest. This new cultivation has devastating consequences not only for the face of the Mediterranean landscape, but also for the environment. Pesticides are increasingly being used on industrial plantations, and water consumption is extremely high - fatal in the rather dry regions of the Mediterranean, where the water shortage is exacerbated by this. The result is the devastation of southern Europe, i.e. H. the formation of deserts.
Olive cultivation in Germany
Many olive lovers are hoping that climate change will make it possible to grow olives in Germany in the future. Well, this cannot be completely ruled out, but there is still a long way to go. However, optimal growth conditions for olives in Germany are not expected at the moment – or in the next few decades. Only in some wine-growing regions are there (experimental) olive groves, which, however, do not generate any significant economic returns.
Tips & Tricks
When buying olive oil, make sure you buy high-quality, ecologically produced oil with proof of origin. This usually comes from traditional cultivation. The “Virgin Olive Oil” seal of quality – actually the highest for olive oil – is not an indication of a high-quality product.
