With the olive harvest starting in April and lasting until early July, the San Antonio Oeste region is consolidating itself as a benchmark in the olive industry.
One of the main companies in the province of Río Negro is the Armengol Mañana family, with more than 12 years at the helm of the Oleosan factory, which leads the production of extra virgin olive oil, with its consolidated brand, product quality and integrated commercial scheme.
“The family business began in 2008, when they stopped cattle farming and understood that the olive tree could adapt well to the region. The first thing they did was a soil analysis,” commented Gustavo, currently part of the company team.
The Oleosan company, in particular, has 64 hectares in production, 40 hectares recently planted and will be ready in two years. Due to its proximity to the gulf, the humid microclimate generates protection conditions against the cold and favors notable quality factors.
As for the variety, Arbequina type olives have a mild fruity flavor. “It is a very small olive, but with a high concentration of oil in the pulp. We also have varieties like Picual and Mission, which have dual purposes: they serve both for the production of oil and for table olives,” added Gustavo.
Due to their location, these crops have the advantage of being exposed to more hours of cold and less thermal amplitude than in other places in the country, which greatly influences their quality and yield.
“The province remains committed to excellence in olive oil production. The Rio Negro olive sector, in constant growth, takes advantage of the olive harvest to produce a high quality oil recognized internationally.”
Currently, Rio Negro has almost 300 hectares concentrated next to the San Matías Gulf. “Due to its climatic condition and the possibility of available land, it becomes a place of potential productive growth with the possibility of becoming an important player both due to its quality and the growth possibilities,” highlighted Facundo Fernández, Secretary of Fruit Growing.
Source: Press Government House of Río Negro
