azeite de moura - yucita · azeite de moura challenges and barriers reduced number of producers and...
TRANSCRIPT
Production Characterization and Traits of the Protected Designation
of Origin (PDO) olive oil
Azeite de Moura
Luís Santa Maria http://soplanicie.blogspot.pt/2011/12/olivais-velhos-de-moura.html
Azeite de Moura
Azeite de Moura
Azeite de Moura
HISTORY In the Roman Empire, Moura olive oil was already known and referred to by Plinius (1st century a.D.), who admired the art of the people in this region, in what concerned olive oil production. Strabon also refers to the magnificent olive oil produced in the plains of Alentejo. This product is enjoyed in such a way, that, to express the smarts and elegance of a person, there is the Portuguese expression "fino como o Azeite de Moura" ("exquisite as Moura olive oil").
Nowadays it is still possible to see, in the village of Moura, the very ancient oil mill "Lagar de Varas do Fojo", which was fully recovered to its functional state, and now functions as a
museum.
Azeite de Moura
TRAITS Traits Moura olive oil presents excellent chemical and sensory characteristics. It is obtained from the olive varieties Verdeal (15% to 20%), Cordovil (35% to 40%) and Galega (the remaining percent). It presents a very low or low acidity and a greenish to gold color, with unique aroma and flavor, appreciated by most consumers and requested by experts all over the World. Besides being produced uniquely with native varieties of olives (Galega, Cordovil and Verdeal) from olive groves in a demarcated area, Moura PDO olive oil respects a very thorough set of production rules that cover the whole production chain, from olive tree culture until packing, passing by extraction and transport.
Azeite de Moura
PRODUCTION The Azeite de Moura is produced in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Moura, the oldest in Iberia and a World reference in high quality olive oils, being recognized as such by European legislation (EU Reg. No. 1107/96) The production has been beating records in both quality and quantity. In 2011 the production surpassed 7000 tons. Furthermore, Azeite de Moura has recently been awarded the Mario Solinas Prize, the most prestigious prize in the industry, given by the International Olive Council. In the Portuguese market, the Cooperativa Agrícola de Moura e Barrancos operate with olive oils from the same origin, yet in the mono-varietal quality – with the varieties Galega, Cordovil and Verdeal, the ones present in the Moura PDO olive oil.
Azeite de Moura
QUALITY This olive oil has very special flavor and aroma (organoleptic qualities), thank to the unique mix of the native varieties and to the unique climate and soil from the region of Moura. During the harvest, selection, cleaning and washing of the olives, as well as in the stages of dehumidification, storage and bottling of the olive oil, the ambient is technically controlled with the use of the highest available technologies and the work of the most experienced experts. Such ensures the fulfillment of the very high internal quality patterns, as well as of those imposed by certifying entities.
The process of extraction of the olive oil from the olives is fully mechanized and mechanic, occurring at low temperature and consists only of washing, grinding, milling, centrifuging and filtering. No chemicals are used to refine lower quality oil, nor are virgin (or extra virgin) olive oils mixed with lower quality refined oils, to produce "common" olive oil (a mixture of tasteless, colorless refined olive oil with virgin or extra virgin olive oil). Such results in the wording "Virgin", "Extra Virgin" or "Special Extra Virgin" (in Portuguese, "Virgem", "Virgem Extra" and "Virgem Extra Especial") present in the labels, indicating a 100% natural product, which is pure olive juice, selected among the best lots with the best organoleptic traits and lowest acidity. As a result, Moura PDO olive oil fulfills and exceeds all legal and environmental requirements of the production and bottling processes.
Azeite de Moura
Production Characterization Geographic Area of Production: Left Margin of Guadiana River Main Olive Varieties: Galega, Cordovil and Verdeal Soil and Climate Conditions: Clay‐limestone soil. Mediterranean Climate with average annual pluviosity of 500mm, with very low temperatures in the Winter and very high temperatures in the Summer.
Extraction:
Continuous method, by centrifugation. Obtained solely by mechanical means, through cold extraction. Culture Conditions: Exclusive and mixed, organized groves, with variable spacing, irrigated and non‐irrigated, traditional and intensive plantations. Manual and mechanical (vibration) harvesting, followed by bulk transport in ventilated containers.
Agricultural practices follow the Organic Farming methods.
Azeite de Moura
AWARDS The Moura PDO olive oil has been recognized over the years with several prizes. Some of the most recent and prestigious awards obtained were: 2010 Mario Solinas Quality Award – International Olive Council – Madrid, Spain Extra
Virgin – Ripe Fruitiness 3rd Prize 2010 National Virgin Olive Oil Contest – Olivomoura – Moura, Portugal Extra Virgin –
Organic Production Mode Bronze 2009 National Virgin Olive Oil Contest – Alentejo Producers – Campo Maior, Portugal Extra
Virgin GOLD
Azeite de Moura
PROBLEMS There are two main problems: 1 – THE PRICE OF OIL, which is historically very low, and that leads to a weak return on olive groves; 2 – DROUGHT especially in Spring has severe consequences for the great majority of the olive groves, which are traditional and non-irrigated land.
Azeite de Moura
http://puxapalavra.blogspot.pt/2008/01/espanhis-transformam-terras-de-beja-em.html
The 60 Alentejo's mills produced 33 thousand tons in the last campaign of olive cultivation, which represents an increase of 19% the previous. In the campaign of 2011/2012, according to provisional data, were caught about 210 thousand tons of olives in 165 thousand hectares of olive groves in the region.
Azeite de Moura
CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS Reduced number of producers and area High costs of the traditional manual operations: prune and harvest Mechanical harvesting is very difficult in big old trees Very present climate hazard Lower price of the non-certified competing products
Sites
http://olivebal.pt/ing/index.html http://www.sativa.pt/canais/channel.asp?id=440&lang=1 http://www.azeitesdoalentejo.com/layout.asp?m1=1&m2=1 http://coopmourabarrancos.pai.pt/ http://soplanicie.blogspot.pt/2011/12/olivais-velhos-de-moura.html