Felipe Oliva: “In Todolivo we prioritize the multivariety and personalization of farms, as keys in the production of quality AOVES”

On the occasion of the II Business Agro on olive grove, held on October 25th in Cordoba, ECA had the opportunity to speak with one of its speakers, Felipe Oliva, technical director in Spain of Todolivo, a pioneer in the development of plantations of Olive in Seto and irrigation and sponsor of this event, organized by SIETE Agromarketing. With it we have addressed essential aspects for the quality of all Extra Virgin Olive Oil that boasts, such as the commitment to multivarietal crops and customized according to the needs of its customers.

e-Comercio Agrario: What contributes your multivarietal system of Olivar in Seto to the quality of the EVOOs?

Felipe Oliva: In Todolivo we differentiate ourselves, among other things, by personalizing the farms of our clients. In this sense, one more evolution, fruit of the research and innovation work carried out by the company since 1999, are multivarietal plantations. They integrate different olive varieties under the same farm and are suitable both for dry land and for irrigation. The personalization that we make in each farm allows a better agronomical use of it because we adapt the frames, the varieties and the plantation orientations according to the agronomic and climatological characteristics of each besana that composes the farm, thus allowing its maximum profitability and oils unique

“In these plantations, the varieties used, the collection system and the management employed produce high and constant production that can reach and exceed 1,000 kg of oil per hectare in rainfed and 1,400 in irrigation”

Another advantage of these plantations is that they allow natural pruning and reduce the costs of cultivation. This has been influenced by the evolution of the frameworks we have developed in Todolivo, which are based on our R + D + i and our own experience: we are currently using more open, better-lit frames that allow a better use of solar radiation, which results in an increase in productivity. These frameworks allow to reduce the investment by 40% and the maintenance costs by approximately 30%.

“The objective is to obtain maximum productivity and profitability in each farm with the lowest investment and possible maintenance costs”

But multivarietal plantations not only reduce costs, but also favor the obtaining of extra virgin olive oils of the highest quality because the harvesting is done with last generation harvesters that prevent the olives from touching the ground, thus preserving all their health and quality in the oil to not have to go through washing machines once they are taken to the mill for grinding.

“The multivarietal plantation system is sustainable, profitable, and is oriented to produce EVOOs of differentiated quality efficiently”

ECA: What experience does Todolivo have in rainfed soils?

F.O.: Todolivo made its first rainfed plantation in 1999 on the farm ‘La Matanza’, and until now we have successfully planted thousands of hectares. Planting Olive in Seto has many advantages. It is a very profitable crop: the maintenance costs are between € 900 and € 1,000 per hectare and production of 1,000 or more kg of extra virgin oil per hectare is achieved. In the dry land, the management of the plants is simpler, the frames are wider and brighter, so the investment cost is lower when having to plant fewer trees, as well as the maintenance. On the other hand, the fat yield that is achieved is higher in dry land and the flavor of the oil is more intense. As a result, producing one kg of extra virgin olive oil is lower in rainfed than in irrigation.

ECA: If something has been characterized by Todolivo has been for its continuous desire to innovate to improve olive growing. In this sense, the company from Cordoba has been continuously evolving since its creation thanks to the creation of an R + D + i department. What projects are you working on now?

F.O .: Todolivo has launched more than 70 trials and investigations in various countries. The commitment to innovation translates into more than 200 hectares in own farms that we have dedicated to study and practice. One of our most important trials is the Genetic Improvement that is currently being evaluated in the farm ‘La Mata’, in the province of Córdoba. It is the most important worldwide that exists of this nature and will allow to expand and enrich the current organoleptic letter of oils, obtain new flavors and aromas that allow a differentiation in the offer.

We started this Program in January 2008 in collaboration with the University of Córdoba in order to create new varieties. The parents were selected for their high precocity and productivity, high fat yield, or tolerance to different diseases and pests such as Verticilium, Repilo, Tuberculosis and Fly, as well as for their excellent oils. The crosses were made naturally by pollination.

In this first phase of the trial, 1,375 new varieties were obtained, which were planted in the Todolivo Research Center in Pedro Abad (Córdoba) and were subjected to a demanding test. The screening was only exceeded 38, those who showed to overcome their parents in precocity, productivity and fat performance and showed greater resistance or tolerance to various diseases.

In January 2016, we began the last phase of the Program. For this, previously, we acquired the farm ‘La Mata’, with an area of 30 ha, where we planted in multiple blocks the 38 new varieties pre-selected along with a global selection of the most productive varieties currently existing.

“In the last stage of our Genetic Improvement test, the preselections are subjected to a multivarietal comparison, to a new agronomic test together with a physical-chemical and sensory analysis of their oils”

Those that overcome this last phase, will become new varieties available to farmers in the coming years.

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