{"id":7205,"date":"2026-08-01T23:53:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T21:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.suertealta.es\/blog\/olive-harvesting\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T12:59:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T10:59:17","slug":"olive-harvesting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.suertealta.es\/en\/blog\/olive-harvesting\/","title":{"rendered":"Olive harvesting"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How the type of olive grove and the intended use of the olives determine the most suitable harvesting method<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

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KEY FACT<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

From hand-stripping in the century-old olive grove to harvesting machines in the super-intensive grove: three methods, three olive groves, one shared goal<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

Types of olive harvesting<\/em>: manual<\/em>, semi-automated <\/em>and automated<\/em>.<\/h2>\n\n
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The way olives are harvested depends on the type of olive grove and on whether the crop is intended for table olives or for olive oil production. All the olives that reach our mill are grown by us and come from three types of olive grove. On the Suerte Alta estate, located within the Baena Designation of Origin, a traditional, almost century-old olive grove coexists with a young, intensively planted grove. On the Seville estate, a super-intensive plantation dedicated to producing the Arbequina oil of our Marqu\u00e9s de Prado brand sits alongside a plantation of Manzanilla olives intended for table olives. <\/p>\n\n

This variety of crops means that three different types of olive harvesting are carried out at Suerte Alta.<\/p>\n\n

Manual <\/em>olive harvesting: hand-stripping<\/em>.<\/h3>\n\n

The olives are harvested by hand. This is the technique we use to pick our table olives, as it is essential to avoid any damage to the fruit. It is also the technique that causes the least harm to the olive tree. It is the most labour-intensive technique and therefore the most expensive way of harvesting. <\/p>\n\n

Semi-automated<\/em> harvesting: shaking with an umbrella harvester<\/em>.<\/h3>\n\n

Suerte Alta has its own shaking machinery, which is essential for controlling the intensity of the vibration and causing as little damage as possible to the olive trees.<\/p>\n\n

For harvesting the intensive plantation, it has the most advanced machinery in this field, which adds an umbrella harvester to the self-propelled shaker, so there is no need to collect the olives on nets.<\/p>\n\n

In the traditional olive grove it is not possible to use the umbrella, because the olive trees have three trunks and the umbrella cannot close around them. Instead, shakers are used and the olives fall onto nets, which are then gathered with a \u201ccaj\u00f3n\u201d (collection box).<\/p>\n\n

Automated<\/em> harvesting: self-propelled harvesters<\/em> for the super-intensive olive grove.<\/h3>\n\n

Harvesting in the super-intensive olive grove in Seville is carried out with harvesters. These machines share a common base with grape harvesters and are similar in appearance and operation. It is the harvesting method that requires the least labour and is therefore the most economical. <\/p>\n\n

Frequently asked questions about olive harvesting<\/em><\/h2>\n\n
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