The project shows the potential of the Chinese olive oil sector

A young project aiming to produce high-quality extra virgin olive oil in central China won a Silver Award at the NYIOOC 2023 World Olive Oil Competition for the second consecutive year.

Whispering Flowers olive oil is a monovarietal Ezhi-8 produced by the company Shanghai Olive Light Biotechnology under the Olive time Mark.

It is a delicate extra virgin olive oil made from olives grown around Longnan in the central province of Gansu.

“In Longnan, the olive trees have been cultivated since the 1970s, which means many of them are half a century old,” Jane Gong, the project’s founder, told Olive Oil Times.

See also:Profiles of producers

“Making a living growing olives has not been easy for thousands of farmers and olive growers,” he added. ​“Many of them over the years left the fields to look for more rewarding working conditions in the country’s big cities.”

Olive Times is the driving force behind a wider initiative based on the olive tree launched in 2018 by its parent company, with the aim of improving the economic and social conditions of the local community.

“We came here as a company that introduces innovation and sustainability, modern farming techniques and quality olive oil production with the aim of involving farmers and giving value to their work,” said Gong.

“From the beginning, the idea was to set up a business that did not seek profits but aimed to improve the conditions of farmers”, he adds.

As a result, Olive Times was certified in 2022 by B-Corp, an organization dedicated to evaluating companies that work to improve the socioeconomic conditions of local communities.

Among its priorities, the company listed the need to train producers to ensure proper pruning and spread agricultural techniques that respect the environment. ​“One of the relevant challenges we still face is the lack of manpower,” Gong said.

“Our aim is to promote high quality extra virgin olive oil to give a helping hand to the local community”, he added. ​“This is our first priority. That’s also why we entered the NYIOOC: to help them. That’s why we’re very happy about the award.”

Gong said many local olive growers are involved in the project and he hopes more will join as olive oil culture spreads.

“Today, olive oil only plays a small role in the kitchen or in restaurants, and is often considered too expensive,” he said.

“Knowledge about olive oil is still lacking, as most consumers do not know the differences between different grades of olive oil,” Gong added.

“Things are changing, though,” he continued. ​“We can see how younger people, often residents of big cities, are increasingly interested in health. They are now discovering the many health benefits of consuming olive oil.”

In Gansu province, olive groves cover more than 41,500 hectares, accounting for 60 percent of all forests in China.

“There are projects to further expand the current area, and in the next three years, we expect it to reach 66,667 hectares,” added Gong.

According to Olive Times, the average annual olive yield in Gangsu province is about 38,000 tons, transforming into 5,700 tons of extra virgin olive oil each year.

These figures make Gansu province one of the important olive oil producing regions in China. According to the International Olive Council, olive oil yields in China grew from 5,500 tonnes in the 2018/19 crop year to an estimated 8,500 tonnes for the current season.

“We hope to reach the 10,000-ton threshold in the next few years,” Gong said. ​“Considering these figures, it should be noted that in Longnan we only produce extra virgin olive oil. We do not produce olive oil of lower grades.”

According to the company, the high quality of the product suggests the great potential of the area. The company depends on its modern mill, which processes the olives within a few hours of harvest.

“Olives are always processed within a maximum of 24 hours from harvest,” Gong said. ​“In addition, we are in continuous contact with the millers to establish specific parameters to obtain the highest quality of each batch”.

Since 2019, Chinese institutions and the IOC have launched a series of joint projects to support the development of the local olive industry. ​“The IOC experts told us that because of its climate and soil, Longnan is the ideal birthplace for the olive tree,” Gong said.

He cited the region’s similar latitude to the Mediterranean basin, adequate sunshine, a high level of organic nutrients in the soil and the benefits of irrigation from the Bailong River as reasons why olives thrive in Lognan.

The founder of the Olive Times pointed out how these features match the preferences of Chinese consumers. ​“Today, most of the olive oil consumed in China comes from abroad,” Gong said. ​“When they learn that olive oil is good for health, they often use it only in cold portions, such as a salad.”

“We are very active in spreading the quality of olive oil and the quality of Chinese olive oil,” he added. ​“We use several different media, some of which are very popular, such as TikTok. Between October and November, we also have consumers who come to see the trees and taste the new olive oil”.

“It’s not just about conveying the healthy qualities of the product; it is also showing people how to use it,” Gong concluded. ​“We are convinced that the Chinese market represents an important opportunity for the olive sector, as the consumption of olive oil is destined for great growth.”