Despite the recent loss of TerraOlivo's president, Raul Castellani, the competition in Israel attracted 630 olive oils from 20 countries.
Last week TerraOlivo wrapped up the 8th ediĀtion of its interĀnaĀtional olive oil comĀpeĀtiĀtion. With the recent loss of the presĀiĀdent of TerraOlivo, Raul Castellani, it was not an easy task to ensure the event ran smoothly. However, with dedĀiĀcaĀtion and hard work, Moshe Spak, Eyal Hasson, Leonardo Castellani and Antonio G. Lauro ran the comĀpeĀtiĀtion admirably.
The conĀtest drew more than 630 olive oils from 20 counĀtries. Spain was the grand winĀner takĀing home 111 prizesāāāfour in the Top Ten catĀeĀgory.
Jurors of the comĀpeĀtiĀtion agreed that the difĀfiĀcult harĀvest year was eviĀdent in many samĀples, notĀing indiĀcaĀtions of excesĀsive heat, fruit that ripened early and oils with low staĀbilĀity.
The presĀiĀdent of the Agro-nutriĀtional Partnership of the Region of Crete, Manolis Chnaris, attended in a show of supĀport for the parĀticĀiĀpatĀing Greek proĀducĀers and the comĀpeĀtiĀtion itself. During a speech at the awards cerĀeĀmony, Chnaris expressed the imporĀtance of qualĀity olive oil and his gratĀiĀtude for the colĀlabĀoĀraĀtion between the Crete and Israeli comĀpeĀtiĀtions.
For jurors, mornĀings were occuĀpied with tastĀing flights of about 33 oils per day. However, afterĀnoons were spent in the field to proĀmote inforĀmaĀtion exchange between panel memĀbers.
A speĀcial trip was hosted by the Israeli Olive Oil Board to Beit Gemal, a monastery near Beit Shemesh, and to Kibbutz Revadim which proĀduces local variĀeties like Barnea and Souri.
Zohar Kerem from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem first spoke to the group at Beit Gemal on the hisĀtorĀiĀcal imporĀtance of the area. It was here where David defeated Goliath and where olive trees had been domesĀtiĀcated thouĀsands of years ago.
Kerem also explained the results of a very interĀestĀing study that was carĀried out in the region. The study revealed that the olive trees now planted near the monastery had roots from many Italian species with local culĀtiĀvars grafted onto the forĀeign roots. It is believed that the Italian variĀeties were introĀduced by travĀelĀing monks.
Adi Naali, the CEO of the Israeli Olive Oil Board and his team explained modĀern Israeli proĀducĀtion and the work that the Board is doing to ensure qualĀity prodĀucts and healthy marĀkets. He stressed the imporĀtance of using a seal of qualĀity, traceĀabilĀity, and good brandĀing. He went on to say that it is when you give conĀsumers qualĀity, that proĀducĀers can demand a fair price for their hard work.
The afterĀnoon was conĀcluded in the groves of Kibbutz Revadim with an olive oil tastĀing and disĀcusĀsions lead by Ayala Noy Meir and Ehud Soriano on the proĀducĀtion of local variĀeties.
The trees surĀroundĀing the group were laden with new fruit startĀing to plump. It is this fruit that will be used for this comĀing harvestĀ“s olive oil and just perĀhaps it will be a winĀner in TerraOlivo 2018.
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