NEUQUEN. AÑELO

SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011

The first extra virgin olive oil entirely produced in Neuquén can now be obtained in the Topsy gondola. This oil is called "Olivares de Neuquén", a high quality variety, extracted and packed in Añelo, which represents the first experience of this type in Patagonia and, therefore, the southernmost in the country. "Last year we got 3 thousand liters of oil, which we put on sale last week. This year we reach 10 thousand liters, and the amount will increase with the maturity of the plants, "said Giulio Retamal, owner of the farm. The producer owns 100 hectares of olive trees on the slopes of the Añelo plateau. After an arduous work of treating the land and the start-up of a complex drip irrigation system, the plants bore their first fruits. The species are counted at 1,600 per hectares, in a type of crop known as ultra-intensive, with few antecedents in the country.

TRANSFORMATION

The transformation of the olive into oil is a very short-term process: harvesting and milling are done the same day. Then the product is decanted for a month in stainless steel tanks and from there it goes to the bottle to arrive later at the table of the consumers. No type of chemical is used throughout the chain. The Neuquén geography offers some advantages for the production of olive oil. "We have a very low acidity and the technical reason is the thermal amplitude. Before the harvest, little water can be given to the plant, avoiding the generation of greater acidity. In the north, as the heat is higher, you have to hydrate more, "explained Retamal. The Neuquén wind, an enemy of agriculture, is also beneficial for the olive tree.

LAND

Retamal acquired the land by tender in 2002. "The studies determined that the area was suitable for olive trees, and we decided to plant them with our own resources. We put into production the first 50 hectares with our own funds. Once the project became viable, we obtained partial funding from the provincial government through the SME Center, "said the producer. The company expects that enough volume will be reached in the coming years to be able to export. In any case, there is a niche in the local market, entirely covered by products that come mostly from the Cuyo region. In this sense, one of the strategies will be to highlight the virtues of local geography.

In addition, there are nutritional advantages: olive oil is the richest in oleic acid and has many beneficial effects on cholesterol.

Source: La Mañana de Neuquén