International workshop held by the Science and Research Centre Koper: Increasing yield and maintaining healthy olive trees

From 14 to 17 February 2024, the Institute for Oliveculture of the Science and Research Centre Koper hosted high representatives of the International Olive Council (IOC) and organised an international workshop entitled “How to increase yield and maintain healthy olive trees?”.

As part of the visit, the representatives of the IOC (Catarina Bairrao Balula, head of the Technical Cooperation and Training Department, Juan Antonio Polo, head of the Olive Oil Technology and Environment Department, and Lhassane Sikaoui, head of the Olive Growing, Olive Oil Technology and Environment Unit), who last visited Slovenia 20 years ago, met with important representatives of the Slovenian agricultural sector, including Maja Podgornik, PhD, head of the Institute for Oliveculture of the Science and Research Centre Koper, andVasilij Valenčič, PhD, quality manager for organisational matters in the Laboratory of the Institute for Oliveculture of the Science and Research Centre Koper. The meeting with the representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia was held with the view to exchange information about the operation of the olive sector, and present the activities of the IOC in the field of climate change.

As the visit continued, the representatives of the IOC and Ms Mateja Čalušić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, visited the laboratory and the premises of the Institute for Oliveculture of the Science and Research Centre Koper, led byMilena Bučar Miklavčič, PhD, and the laboratory of the Department of Applied Natural Sciences of the UP FAMNIT.

During a field visit to olive groves and olive oil mills, as well as in the framework of meetings with representatives of local authorities, participants gained valuable insight into olive cultivation practice in Slovenia.

They also visited the Municipality of Koper, where they were welcomed by Deputy Mayor Ms Mateja Hrvatin Kozlovič and Ms Sabina Mozetič, head of the municipal service for economy, agriculture and development, who spoke about activities implemented by the Municipality of Koper in order to develop olive growing in its area.

The highlight of the event was the inauguration of the international workshop entitled “How to increase yield and maintain healthy olive trees?”, at which the Science and Research Centre Koper hosted international lecturers under the auspices of the IOC.  Ran Erel, PhD, from Israel spoke about olive fertilisation and nutrition, while Juan Moral, PhD, from Spain shed some light on diseases plagued by olive trees, and the strategies used to prevent them.

The event was an exceptional opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience, as well as reinforce cooperation between international experts in the field of olives. The Science and Research Centre Koper will continue to work towards a sustainable development of olive growing in Slovenia and abroad.