Technological exhibition presents equipment and inputs for olive farming

The Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG) promotes the 2023 edition of Azeitech this week. The event, which marks 15 years since the first extraction of extra virgin olive oil in Brazil, will take place in two stages: on Wednesday (29) the activities will be online, and on Friday (31) in person, at the Campo Experimental de Maria da Faith.

The 18th Olive Farming Field Day and the 8th Technological Exhibition will be open to the public, with registration on site, starting at 7am. The program will mark the launch of the label in celebration of 15 years of pioneering extraction and will feature three field stations that will address the themes “Introduction to olive growing”, “Strategies for nutritional assessment in olive growing” and “Impact of diseases at the point of harvest and quality of the oil”.

At the same time, around 20 exhibitors will present products and services, such as consultancy for the implementation and management of olive groves. “Machinery companies for the extraction of olive oil, field equipment, such as brushcutters and harvesters, and agriculture in general, such as pruning shears and saws, are confirmed; seedlings and fertilizers. In addition to olive oils from the region, lids, labels, bottles, soaps and cosmetics derived from olive oil”, says Pedro Moura, from the event's Organizing Committee.

In the olive growing equipment market since 2014, Fast Indústria supplies extractors to agribusinesses in Serra da Mantiqueira and southern Brazil. “We installed the first 500 kg per hour extraction plant, in Barbacena, MG. After a while, we received a demand from producers in Mantiqueira to develop compact equipment that would serve small producers. We did a study on this and proved this need. This is how Fast developed the 100 kg per hour extractor, a compact piece of equipment that is easy to operate and has great efficiency”, says olive and avocado oil extraction technician, Grasiani Matielo Andrioni, Gringo, responsible for after-sales of the company in the olive area.

Pieralisi do Brasil will participate in the Technological Exhibition, through representatives from the commercial area who will present the equipment used in the olive oil extraction plant. “Pieralisi emerged in Italy, more than 130 years ago, precisely to serve olive growing. We are world leaders in the centrifugal extraction and separation market and we also make this technology available to olive growers in Brazil”, says sales engineer, Caroline Tonini.

Nutrisafra Fertilizers will demonstrate a fertilizer suitable for olive growing “We will have the participation of an agronomist and a regional salesperson who will provide instructions for use and acquisition. We have been at the Show for four or five editions and we know the demand from olive growers for products suitable for the crop”, comments Operations Manager, Heitor Takahashi.

Scientific Panel

The Azeitech 2023 program will begin on Wednesday, the 29th, with the online scientific panel. The broadcast, live on the Official EPAMIG Channel on YouTube, takes place from 17pm. Three virtual round tables will discuss olive farming in Brazil and around the world.

In the first of them, the topic addressed by the representative of the International Olive Oil Council (IOC), Catarina Bairrão Balula, will be “IOC and olive oil in the world”. The coordinator of EPAMIG's State Olive Oil Research Program, Luiz Fernando de Oliveira, will be moderated. Gastronomic consultant Marcelo Scofano participates as a debater.

Next, Portuguese olive grower João Miguel Rosado, who produces “Amor é Cego” olive oil, in Monte da Oliveira Velha, Central-South region of Portugal, will talk about his experience and highlight the similarities between his growing conditions and olive growing in Serra da Mantiqueira. The debate will be led by the agronomist, Pedro Moura and accompanied by the olive oil specialist and author of the book “Azeite-se” Ana Beloto.

The program will close with the theme “Ibraoliva and Brazilian olive oil”. The discussion, which will be mediated by agronomist Patriciani Cipriano who is part of EPAMIG's State Program for Olive Growing Research, will bring together the presidents of the Brazilian Institute of Olive Growing (Ibraoliva), Renato Fernandes and the Olive Growers Association of the Counterforts of Mantiqueira (Assoolive), Moacir Nascimento.

Azeitech activities are free. Information via email at cemf.evento@epamig.br, telephone (35) 3662-1227 and website www.azeitech.com.br.