For the next olive season in 2022, the first OpitCEPT® unit for olive oil extraction will be installed in Tunisia. Below we reflect a bit about the Tunisian olive oil market, the importance of high-quality products, and adopting new technology such as OptiCEPT®.
Tunisia is the world’s third-largest exporter of olive oil, the North African country close to Malta and Sicily has been producing olive oil since the 8th century BC. Over 30% of its cultivated land (1.68 million ha) is dedicated solely to growing olives.
The Tunisian olive oil has historically been viewed as of lower quality than that produced by their peers.
Tunisia continues to be a large exporter of olive oil in bulk, however, Tunisian olive oil is also increasingly being exported in bottles under Tunisian brand names of higher quality. One such actor is Alta Olea.
95% of Tunisia’s olive groves are organic, and exports of organic olive oil have grown from 2100 tonnes in 2004 to 13,500 in 2015.
Tunisia produces three times more organic olive oil than Spain, the world’s largest olive oil producer. The high quality of Tunisian olive oil has also been recognized with prestigious awards.
Alta Olea is a well-known brand and has 8 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and a bronze medal from highly regarded international olive oil competitions in London and Berlin.
The family-owned company is located in the El Krib region of northwestern Tunisia, with a focus on organic farming and the highest quality.
Chetoui is the second principal variety of olive in Tunisia and is the primarily cultivated variety at Alta Olea.
Alta Olea cultivates its olive trees in the traditional way. The picking of Chétoui olives is done by hand, using combs (or sometimes without), nets, and jute bags. The fresh olives are then cold-pressed at the mill just after harvest. However, their artisanal production is based on modern technologies – a perfect match for OptiCEPT®.
Saber Abidi, the owner of the Alta Olea estate, is part of the generation of entrepreneurs whose grandparents were farmers and who therefore remain strongly attached to the land.
It was therefore quite natural that he wanted to return to his agricultural roots, with respect for the values of the past, with additional knowledge and an entrepreneurial vision. Several members of the Abidi family are now working on the production of Alta Olea olive oil.
“ALTA OLEA will be our first reference customer in Tunisia, a producer with the highest focus on extraordinary quality. We are extra happy for a breakthrough in Tunisia, which is a major olive oil producer, and ALTA OLEA is a strong first reference customer in the country. I am convinced that more olive oil producers in Tunisia will choose oliveCEPT® for next season.” Says Johan Möllerström, CEO OptiCept Technologies.
We’ve seen a steadily rising interest from olive oil producers with a focus on the highest quality.
As Tunisian producers switch focus towards premium products we are happy to provide the modern technology for olive oil production that is packed inside OptiCEPT®.
More and more prominent olive oil producers are discovering the benefits of PEF technology. For example Acesur and Canoliva in Spain. Furthermore, Moulin D’Olivette in France and Atlas Olive Oils in Morocco.
Olive oil production has long been steeped in tradition, with many regions relying on age-old methods to create the liquid gold prized around the world. However, the industry is undergoing a significant transformation, thanks to Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology.
Learn how this Spanish olive oil producer boosts its production with the patented OptiCEPT® PEF technology.
Learn how olive oil producer Aceites Canoliva benefits from OptiCepts Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology.
OptiCept invents, designs, and manufactures smart, sustainable technologies to unleash the full potential of organic material.
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