Olive Shortage Hurting Olive Oil Producers

FAIRFIELD (CBS13) — Olives are in high demand this season after local farmers struggled with a shortage. That trickled down to the olive oil business, which took a huge hit because of unusual weather.

CBS13's Koula Gianulias talked to local producers about how they're making up for this poor supply.

"It's down at least half for most growers, if not substantially more," said Mark Sievers of Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company.

Olive production dropped 80 percent for the Sievers this season. The Fairfield couple harvested just 1,600 pounds compared to 8,000 pounds of olives last year to make their award-winning Il Fiorello olive oil.

"Right at blossom set time we had hail and rain," Ann Sievers said. "It's just the way it is when you're a farmer.

Just down the road in Dixon, Jovia Groves' 9,000 trees yielded just 25 percent of normal production.

"It was a huge hit. My costs went way up," owner John Fadhl said.

He said in addition to spring rain storms, the mild summer hurt his harvest.

"Typically we would harvest in October. This year we harvested the week of Thanksgiving," he said.

Fadhl says he recovered some of his supply because his olive crop yielded more oil than usual. And the Sievers tapped into reserves from last harvest to meet their demand. But the key concern for both olive oil producers is what will happen next year.
So far they say they've haven't had to pass on higher prices to customers.