Devautour Hubert, Fribourg Gilles.
2004. Nyons olive oil : a field visit.
In : Promoting agricultural competitiveness through local know-how : a Workshop on Geographic Indication of Middle Eastern and North African Agri-Food Products. Summary of the Workshop, June 7-10 2004, Montpellier, France. Gerz Astrid (ed.), Danflous Jean-Paul (ed.), Cerdan Claire (ed.), Devautour Hubert (ed.). World Bank, France-Ministère de l'agriculture de l'alimentation de la pêche et des affaires rurales
Résumé : This field visit allowed us to meet a producer; the chairman of the Black Olive Syndicate of Nyons; the director of the Nyon Agricultural Cooperative; the chairman and an officer of the World Olive Tree Institute; and a producer (who is both an olive grower and a wine producer) who sells their products directly. The discussions revolved essentially around familiarization with the black-olive and olive-oil sector in the Nyons region on the conditions for the emergence and the viability of the sector; on the audit procedures; and on the value and effects of the AOC. The presence of olive trees in the region goes back to ancient times, with fossilized pollen and leaves attesting to their presence in Provence for more than 10,000 years. The culture of olive trees was introduced into Mediterranean Gaul by the Greeks, as early as the fourth century B.C. Over the centuries, olive-growing has experienced both growth and recession, essentially because of climatic events. Over time, heavy frosts have destroyed most of the varieties that are excessively sensitive to cold, leaving room for numerous less sensitive varieties, such as the "Tanche" olive, which is the principal variety in the AOC production area. The production area for the AOC olive oil of Nyons includes 57 communities in the southern Drôme region, located essentially in the Ouvèze valley near Buis-les-Baronnies and in the Eygues valley near Nyons, but also including a few orchards in the Nord Vaucluse area. The heart of the production region, which is concentrated around seven communities, represents 60% of the orchards. The region is characterized by a certain pedoclimatic homogeneity, and a long history in the culture of olive trees and the manufacture of olive oil. The climate is Mediterranean, with more than 2,700 hours of sunlight per year. During the course of the 20th century, the number of trees fell from more than one million to approximately 230,000 in the AOC region today. Overall, the production area for the AOC olive of Nyons covers 1,200 hectares of olive trees, and includes nearly 1,300 olive growers. The AOC olive oil of Nyons is very smooth, lightly fruity, golden-green in color, relatively sweet, and not bitter or spicy at all. It contains a hint of the scent of green apples and freshly cut herbs, as well as the flavors of hazelnut and almond. This specific quality comes from the variety of the olive (Tanche), the land, the growing techniques, the time of the harvest (December and January, when the olives are just slightly overripe), and the processing techniques. The olive oil of Nyons is very highly regarded, not only locally but also at the regional and national levels. It has a reputation as a high-quality, healthful, traditional, and flavorful product (with very little bitterness), and is considered to be a characteristic product among people who were natives of the region but who are now living outside it. The Tanche Syndicate was formed in 1957. It operates on an inter-professional basis, and includes the various different types of operators in the AOC sector (e.g., olive growers, owners of fields in which Tanche olive trees have been planted and are being cultivated, olive-mill and olive-press operators, industrial companies, and representatives of cooperatives and conservationists). Its primary goals include: - improving further the quality of the Nyons black olive and of its oil, and promoting these two products; - representing AOC products at various professional and inter-professional events; and - protecting the AOC products of Nyons. The Nyons cooperative, which was formed in 1923, includes a majority of the olive-growers and wine producers in the region. It has approximately 1,000 members, and collects the crop from 600 hectares of olive trees. This cooperative is the leading producer of Nyons olive oil. The Tanche Syndicate and the cooperative are supplemented by other associations of olive-oil operators, including: - the First Brotherhood
Mots-clés Agrovoc : produit alimentaire, produit transformé, huile d'olive, appellation d'origine
Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : France
Classification Agris : Q02 - Traitement et conservation des produits alimentaires
Auteurs et affiliations
- Devautour Hubert, CIRAD-TERA-AFM (FRA)
- Fribourg Gilles, INAO (FRA)
Autres liens de la publication
Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/525311/)
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