Olive industry in Karoo upskilling workers

The olive farming industry in Prince Albert in the Karoo is taking pride in skilling workers.

Using the multi-million-rand olive pressing machines is a rare skill. Most people in Prince Albert only know how to pick olives. But former farmworker, Jan April, has mastered the skill and is now a specialised olive press operator.

“When something is wrong he can only come to me and only ask me one question and I will tell him I will take a look and take care of it. When something is wrong the alarm will start and I know to stop all the machines and look for the one that’s broken. I would like to one day go to Italy where they make the machines and see how they make it, that’s what I want to see one day,” says April.

Sagree Chetty looks at olive farming:

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South Africa used to produce an average of 3 000 tons of olives per year but this is fluctuating due to the drought in the region.

Source: SABC News (sabcnews.com)