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It's olive picking season! Here's all you need to know about Maltese olives
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Melanie Drury
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Olive trees have been present in Malta for millennia. Carbonised remains of Olea Europaea L. - the olive - were discovered during excavations at Skorba Temples (4500–4100 BC). Perhaps even more impressive, in Bidnija, carbon dating revealed 2,000-year-old ‘Bidni’ olive trees that are still bearing fruit suitable both for consumption and the making of oil.

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The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is indeed one of the oldest species of domesticated trees. It is the second most important oil fruit crop cultivated worldwide, with 97 per cent of cultivation concentrated in the Mediterranean basin. The wild olive (Oleaster) and the cultivated olive (Sativa) subspecies each have several cultivars based on taste, size, disease resistance and other qualities.

The olive thrives in Maltese soils. Apart from the ‘Bidni’ cultivar, other olive cultivars in Malta include Il-Maltija - the Maltese Olive; Il-Bajda - the white olive, Il-Ħelwa ta’ Sqallija - the sweet Sicilian olive, and L-Imrajja ta’ Marsala - the Marsala olive. In 2018, the area covered by olive trees in Malta amounted to 138 hectares.

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The native Bidnija and Maltija stand out for their genetic uniqueness. The Maltija cultivar is probably the most popular due to its high productivity. However, the older Bidnija produces high quality oil and is very tolerant to environmental stress. The Bajda displays a characteristic white drupe (shown above).

Besides the native cultivars, Maltese wild olives are present as well as non-native cultivars, which are sometimes favoured by Maltese farmers, thus placing Malta’s unique olives at risk of extinction.

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Phoenician traders (700 BC) are likely responsible for the widespread cultivation of olive trees in Malta. This was capitalised on by the Romans (218 BC-533 AD). At San Pawl Milqi, an excavated Roman villa that was in use until the end of the Byzantine Period (600-870 AD) still contains several trapetum - huge stone mills that were used to crush olives to an oily paste.

Several Maltese towns and villages that were named during the Arab period (870-1090 AD) indicate that, by then, the cultivation of olive trees and olive oil production was widespread. Zaytun is Sicilian-Arabic for ‘olive’ and we find place names such as Iz-Zejtun meaning ‘ where olives are cultivated for oil production,’ and Ghajn Zejtuna meaning ‘spring of olive oil,’ as well as Bir id-Deheb meaning ‘well of gold’ (olive oil was referred to as liquid gold), Birzebbuga meaning ‘well of olives,’ and Haz-Zebbuġ meaning ‘village of olives.’

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September is picking and pressing season. Zejt iz-Zejtun, an annual event held in the city of Zejtun, celebrates the olive picking season, and olive pressing for oil will be held in Żejtun on 28 to 29 September. 

Zejt iz-Zejtun is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in local tradition and culture. Expect farmers carrying the olive harvest on carts for pressing, drummers and flag bearers in medieval costumes, folk singers and dancers, an exhibition of agricultural tools and products, folk art and free olive-oil tasting of the freshly-pressed olive oil. Expect also a variety of educational resources, olive trees and products for sale, tree planting and a traditional blessing of farm animals and pets.

20th September 2019


Melanie Drury
Written by
Melanie Drury
Melanie was born and raised in Malta and has spent a large chunk of her life travelling solo around the world. Back on the island with a new outlook, she realised just how much wealth her little island home possesses.

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