Swiss olive cultivation to get a boost thanks to warm weather

Romandie thanks to warm weather points to olive trees, could overtake Ticino Keystone-SDA

More and more farmers in French-speaking Switzerland see climate change as an opportunity for olive cultivation: the number of such trees could double to 20,000 by the end of 2026, surpassing that of Italian-speaking Ticino.

Because of the rising temperatures, olive trees are also growing in regions where it was previously unthinkable. An association of around 30 producers will be founded by the end of the summer, Frank Siffert, one of the pioneers of the branch in French-speaking Switzerland, told the Keystone-SDA news agency. The aim is to develop the entire sector, from production to distribution via advertising, explained the organic farmer.

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The project, supported by the organic farming association BioVaud, also aims to discover which plant varieties are best suited to local conditions. “Olive production in French-speaking Switzerland, which has long been anecdotal, is set to increase dramatically in the coming years,” says Siffert. According to him, by the end of 2026 there could be up to 20,000 new olive trees, twice as many as today. “We will far surpass Ticino, where olive growing has been established for several years,” he added.

The farmer has already carried out several experiments with olive trees in his vineyard, which is mainly known for its truffle production. Siffert is full of praise for what he considers an ‘indestructible tree’, which withstands periods of drought well and lives for many years. “The olive tree requires relatively little care and no special chemical treatment,” he argues. “As long as our winters are still cold enough, we will not have to deal with any major specific diseases.”

Siffert also praises the olive tree’s special shade. “It lets diffuse light through and is therefore perfect for agroforestry,” a cultivation method that combines trees and agricultural crops on the same area. The expert already imagines seeing long rows of olive trees growing in the middle of large crops, “just like in Roman times”.

Besides the production of olive oil, there are many other possible uses for the plant. The leaves can be used for herbal teas or for medicinal purposes. The wood is also useful, as is the residue from pressing the oil, which can for example be fodder for sheep. “There is no loss, everything can be utilised,” says the specialist.

The farmer also believes that production in French-speaking Switzerland is different from that in the Mediterranean region, the quality of which he says is “sometimes dubious”. “We have a very good card up our sleeve if we focus on Swiss-made, quality and the attractiveness of local products,” he says.

Siffert also thinks that olive cultivation can help winegrowers diversify their income. Referring to the difficulties in the wine sector in the wake of declining wine consumption in Switzerland, he urges his colleagues to look for alternatives and new sales markets.

An inventory of the olive trees currently in Switzerland will be carried out in the autumn. This survey will focus in particular on those planted more than 13 years ago and thus survived the particularly harsh winter of 2012, Siffert explains. There are currently around 150-200 varieties of olive trees in Switzerland.

Adapted from Italian by DeepL/ac

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