San Benito County’s growing olive crop has been delayed nearly a
month this year, as farmers are still trying to harvest the trees
that haven’t fully ripened, Agricultural Commissioner Ron Ross
said.
San Benito County’s growing olive crop has been delayed nearly a month this year, as farmers are still trying to harvest the trees that haven’t fully ripened, Agricultural Commissioner Ron Ross said.
The fast-growing crop, thanks to a rejuvenated interest in byproduct olive oil, takes up nearly 115 acres in San Benito County, Ross said. The largest grower is Pietra Santa Winery with 25 acres of the crop. There are 15 olive growers throughout the county, but all of them have experienced some sort of slowdown because of the cooler climate this year.
“Because of the colder weather, the harvest hasn’t been ready ’til now, but unfortunately because of the rain, the trees haven’t been harvested yet,” Ross said.
Under a normal cycle, the trees would have been harvested in mid-November but because of unusual weather the harvest has continued to be delayed.
For Sons-of-Sicily owner A.J. Moley, the rain continues to hamper the trees even after it has finished because of the abundance of mud.
“I can’t even get out there because of all the mud,” he said.
Moley doesn’t expect to get to the olives until next week and even perhaps January. Moley has until mid-February before his press closes.
“I should be fine as long as I get to them by mid-next month,” Moley said.
To harvest the olives, farmers throughout the area will need a couple of dry days in a row, Ross said.
But the big issue is that the cool weather hasn’t allowed the trees to fully ripen, Moley said. Some of his trees still have olives that are green and unripe. The immature olives don’t produce the same quality or quantity of oil.
“I won’t even pick the green ones because it gives a bit of a peppery bite,” he said. “I want it a little more smooth.”
Overall, Moley expects his output to be nearly two to three tons less than last year’s total of 12 tons.
“If we get nine or 10 tons, I’ll be a happy guy,” he said. “With 20 acres of trees our volume should be up, but it’s not going to be there.”
Overall, the weather’s effect on the olive plants won’t be known until all the receipts are counted, Ross said. But the results are expected to be less than previous years.
Throughout the county, though, the weather has had some devastating effect on other plants, including bell peppers, he said.
The morning frost that passed through the county over the last month caused damage to bell peppers and delayed the harvest of some of the area’s grapes.
The weather has done some good to the area’s crops, he said.
The rain has recharged the soil and the underground aquifer, but mostly there have been no floods.
The rain has also benefited the cattle industry, rejuvenating the food source.
The agricultural business’ gross income won’t be determined until the crop report in June of next year.
