Olive picking in full swing

Walk into any olive orchard in the area and the plunk, plunk sound of olives dropping into buckets will resonate through the trees as it is olive picking season in the Northstate.

Fortunately, unlike last year, this year there are plenty of laborers to pluck the small fruit off the trees, although there is very little fruit to pick.

According to the Olive Growers Council (OGC), the crop, estimated at 55,000 to 60,000 tones is roughly 50 percent of normal production.

"We are pleased that the council and the two major black ripe table olive processors reached agreement," said Adin Hester, president of the grower's bargaining association. Growers have been spending money since spring to bring the current crop to harvest. It's very difficult to commit funds to olives not knowing what the grower will receive at harvest."

The prices agreed to between the council and the processors, Bell-Carter Olive Company and Musco Family Olive Company, represents approximately 5 to 10 percent increase over last year, said Hester.

Olive growers have seen a cost jump of 25 to 30 percent over last year due to the increased oil cost and the disruption of the commodity market because of the government's mandated ethanol production, according the OGC.

Hester said short crops (low production) have a habit of getting shorter.

"It is extremely difficult to harvest a scattered crop," he said.

A group of olive pickers who are working in the area right now said they are working agriculture as construction jobs are currently in short supply because of the housing slump.

"We are moving from one place to another picking cherries, apples, peaches, pears, grapes, asparagus, and now olives," said a picker working for Jose Mendez on Gallagher Avenue.

All in the group are from Mexico and come here "because there is work here and better pay." Most said they save their money and send it to family in Mexico.

The workers said they feel safe here and aren't taunted or harassed by residents or law enforcement.

Luis Hernandez, 25, of Corning, who was the group's foreman and the only one in the group who spoke English, translated for the group. He said Mendez provides the laborers with living quarters during the picking season, which include showers, beds, electricity, and places to cook and store food.

According to Hernandez, that is the case with most of the labor contractors in the area.

Although there have been plenty of laborers for this season's crop, many olive growers are opting out of the business as the state has seen olive orchard acreage shrink to well under 26,000 acres in recent years, said the OGC.

"With high production costs, a critical need for pickers during a short harvest window, and the opportunity to grow more profitable crops, many growers are exiting the table olive business," Hester said. "Another issue facing the olive grower is increasing tonnage of subsidized foreign olive imports which have taken away over 45 percent of California's table olive business."

Local olive grower Ross Turner said most of the new olive orchards being planted are of the olive oil variety. He said such an orchard is being planted on South Avenue on 2,000 acres.

"Olive oil is becoming a very popular alternative in the business," said Turner.

2008 California Table Olive Price Schedule (per ton)

Manzanillo

Ex large - $1,210
Large - $1,210
Medium - $1,210
Small - $650
Petite - $400
Sub-Petite - $350
Undersize/culls $10

Sevillano

Super Colossal - $1,050
Colossal - $1,050
Jumbo - $1,050
Ex Large "C" - $350
Ex Large "L" - $300
Undersize/culls $10 

Julie R. Johnson may be contacted at 824-5474 or jjohnson@tcnpress.com.