Local Olive Crop Report, May 2025

Local Olive Crop Overview

The olive trees in Corning started showing new growth in March, progressing steadily throughout April and early May. 

The image above was taken on May 10th, when the bloom peaked for most of the trees in this latitude. This image is quite showy, and is representative of the Manzanillo and Hojiblanca trees about 2 miles to the east of us.

Other varieties were a bit more modest, and a few were light versus last year.

Local Olive Crop Preliminary Forecast

It's too early to publish a true forecast, however, "June Drop" follows May bloom, and we already have triple digits forecasted for May 30 and May 31--a month earlier than last year. If the current forecast holds we're looking at 106ºF and 107ºF! The trees will hold on to only what they can support, and such hot weather will certainly be a stressor.

Table Olive Insight

Generally speaking, the Manzanillo crop is positioned to be heavier than last year and the Sevillano crop lighter. 

Oil Olive Insight

Arbequina and Acolano bloom seems average to me; Coratina heavier than last year, and Picual on the low side. 

Caveat 

Much can happen between now and harvest, however, we are cautiously optimistic.

IMPORTANT:  These notes represent only 7 of the many olive orchards throughout Northern California, and they are all concentrated within about 5 miles of my location, so should NOT be considered representative of the industry at large.

This is prelminary report a micro-region insight.