Olive trees in Austria – which previously stood as potted plants on many terraces – could well become a mainstay of local agriculture in the future. The Viennese association AgroRebels has been scientifically investigating for several years whether olive cultivation here can be profitable. Conclusion: Yes, it works. In collaboration with Markus Fink’s company Pannonia Palmen, the aim is to give the olive soil and the farmers a new perspective.
A few years ago, the Viennese association “AgroRebels” wondered whether the olive could be grown in Austria. A research project was submitted and approved. The goal was “a kind of proof of concept as to whether the olive in Austria could be grown in such a way that it actually produces fruit,” says Fink, and whether it could produce enough yield to make the investment worthwhile for the farmer.
From ornamental plants to cultivation
“What I had experience with at the time was the olive as an ornamental plant,” he says, and he was also already involved in the cultivation of palm trees in eastern Austria. In his original job as a technical physicist, he came across projects aimed at growing vegetables on the ISS. So his interest was aroused and plants gradually changed from a hobby into a second source of income and eventually increasingly into a main profession.
“We were then able to identify a number of varieties that were very promising. We tried it in six different states in Austria. The only total failure at the time was in Carinthia, because there was a very snowy winter, all other locations disappeared.” It is now clear: “In the entire east of Austria you can say that if you have a good slope and the soil works , we know varieties ‘that work.’ A concept based on climate change was born – it is not without reason that the AgroRebels website states: ‘powered by climate change’.
Farmers are showing increasing interest
They dared to come out and approached the farmers. The whole thing takes place in collaboration between the club and Fink’s company. The AgroRebels advise the farmers. Any purchase of trees will then be made through Fink’s Pannonia palms. Farmers in the east of Lower Austria, around Vienna, in Burgenland and in the south of Styria are particularly interested. There are currently about thirty partner farmers, most of whom grow the olives on previously fallow land, with about ten more joining each year.
Most of the trees are currently in Marchfeld. Some smaller farmers do it out of interest and conviction, “they start with plus or minus 50 trees”, but there are also larger ones. “Those who really want to make money and have space and resources start with 300 to 500 trees and add more.” The trees are said to bear fruit after seven to nine years, sometimes even sooner.
“It won’t be the cheapest oil”
Fink expects that there will certainly be a market for olive oil or pickled olives from Austria. “But it will certainly not be the cheapest oil”, it is a niche product that must and will impress with the label “from Austria and organic and short transport routes.” Are there considerations for further alternative products? Figs are now quite popular and he also sees potential for pomegranates.
“The old no longer works and there is nothing new yet” – the quote from a farmer from Eastern Austria, who is increasingly struggling with drought, stuck in the back of Markus Fink’s mind for a long time, he explains. On Thursday evening, as part of the ‘Austrian Consumer Dialogues: Food’ in Steyr, he will discuss the future of food and whether there might already be something new with climate activist Lena Schilling and Martin Bäck from the Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
