Most agriculture stories this year have been about over abundance (melons) or shortages (grapes), but despite the drought and early frost and later storms the olive crop in the south is heading for a record. Almost ten times as many olives as last year are being harvested and although they are small the quality is excellent. The drought had two effects: keeping the fruit small; avoiding the usual plague of flies which damage the crop. Most of these olives are machine picked and processed, rather than the hand picking required for the olives for consumption. Of course it remains to be seen what effect a bumper crop will have on prices.
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