On Friday (20/11/2020), government gazetted regulations that impose new requirements on olive and olive oil suppliers in South Africa, including the introduction of a new levy.

The new levy - imposed on producers, processors and importers - will be 8c/kg on all table olives and 40c/litre on all olive oil, and must be paid by producers, processors and importers when they first sell their product.

The money will go directly to industry association SA Olive, which will use it to fund research projects, quality control and certification, consumer education and other functions.

Starting immediately, all producers, growers, processors, packers and importers of olive products must register with SA Olive.

They will be required to provide the organisation with information including the volume of oil they are providing and the number of olive trees. “No records or returns will be required in terms of this measure which could be regarded as confidential or of a marketing nature. Specifically, no information which reflects amongst others contracting parties, buyers of olive products, cost of services, price of products or similar information will be required,” the regulations read.

Government says that the sharing of information will help the “efficiency” of the production and marketing of table olives and olive oil. “The viability of the olive industry will thus be enhanced.”

The local industry is having a record year, and produced 30% more olive oil in 2020 than in 2019, according to SA Olive.