Agroaldea
'El Oro del Volcán' will be the brand of this virgin olive oil from the organic olive grove that will be destined for the gourmet sector.
With this acquisition, the island's olive growers will now be able to press and produce virgin olive oil in Lanzarote., thus closing the cycle initiated by the Cabildo of Lanzarote to promote this crop through the 'El Olivar Ecológico' project..
The Minister of agriculture, Livestock and Economic Promotion of the Cabildo, Francisco Story, reported that “in addition to meeting this need and demand of local producers, The Cabildo of Lanzarote intends to further promote this new crop in island agriculture, with the aim of diversifying quality local productions, as products whose raw materials and processing are 100% Lanzarote”.
Regarding the designation of origin of this product, The advisor specified that “this is a great step, "But there is still a way to go to obtain this label since this will involve the organization of the producers themselves interested in promoting this quality label.".
The counselor pointed out that "the Lanzarote Cabildo will continue to support the initiative and promote the diversification of quality local productions so that virgin olive oil will soon be 100% origin Lanzarote can also be added to other products such as wine or cheese and are also part, along with other products of the earth, of our island gastronomic culture”.
In view of the results and quality obtained in these first tests, The counselor also trusts that “this product will be promoted by the restaurant sector.”, consumed by the resident and is even a product recognized and demanded by those who visit us”, Fabelo pointed out.
The “Organic Olive Grove” project has been underway for two years and around twenty farmers participate., spread throughout the island territory, that occupy five hectares. In total there are some 8.000 planted olive trees.
Each 300 olive trees are estimated to be able to produce an average of 1.500 kilograms of olives that would process about 300 liters of virgin olive oil. To these figures we must add the production of other farmers who already had olive trees on the island and who, prior to the Cabildo project, were already obtaining olives.. This tree takes an average of three years to start bearing this fruit to harvest..
The oil mill acquired by the Primary Sectors area of the Cabildo now allows the production of oil "for the gourmet segment" from olives from the 20.000 olive trees planted on different farms in Lanzarote. Local varieties are verdial, picual, hojiblanca and arbequina, which may be bottled under the proposed label of 'The Gold of the Volcano'.
The new machinery, with a cost of 70.000 EUR, It is made up of three modules, cleaner, mill and mixer, who carry out the tasks of removing and washing the olives; pressed with skin and bone; and separation of oil from the rest of the waste, through the friction of the two concave cylinders with a speed difference of 340 revolutions.