South Australian olive grower George Kratopoulos says an innovative new processing method has transformed his outlook on the struggling table olive industry.
Once preparing to scale down his family grove in Taylorville, Kratopoulos now plans to expand, calling the technique a “game-changer.”
Developed by University of South Australia engineer Professor John Fielke, the patented method – “Olives the Australian Way” – cures olives straight into brine during harvest, avoiding fermentation and significantly reducing labour, water use, and waste.
For Kratopoulos, this means machine-harvesting instead of relying on 20 hand-pickers, cutting costs and preserving bruised olives that would otherwise be discarded.
“It’s a win-win on both sides,” he said.
“I’ve gone from trying to get out of the industry to seeing good things on the horizon.”
Source: ABC.
