French olive oil producers encouraged to go organic

Afidol, the Interprofessional Association of Olives for France, is encouraging French olive oil producers to convert to organic, Olive Oil World reports. France has eight appellations in the Alpes - Côtes d’Azur region, but only 12% of olive farms have converted to organic farming.

At SITEVI, the international exhibition for vines and wine, fruit and vegetables and olive oil held in Montpellier in November, specialists covered a range of topics relating to organic olive oil production and marketing. The event, organized by Afidol in conjunction with the Centre Technique de l’Olivier, allowed amateurs, professionals and growers to discuss and share their experiences and innovations. Afidol's Director Christian Argenson stated that producing olive oil in France was expensive – 10 euros per liter against 2 euros in Spain. France had less sun and less heat than their southern neighbors, but French olives were less likely to be attacked by the olive fly, and the results would be oils with more expression and intensity.

Afidol has committed to helping French growers in their conversion to organic farming and has recently produced a video introduced by Oliver Nasles that informs oil producers what the AB label means and how to protect their olive orchards by limiting and selecting their inputs. Producers who have made the switch talk about their motivations, challenges and difficulties, as well as their views of future of French organic olive oil. More information is available from Olive Oil Times.