Friday, April 8, 2022
CapitalPress.com
9
Ricchiuti Family Farms: Organic olives fi ll a niche
By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
FRESNO, Calif. — When Vin-
cenzo Ricchiuti came from Italy
in 1914, he was looking to farm in
a place with a Mediterranean cli-
mate. California’s San Joaquin
Valley had the climate, and he had
the determination.
“Initially, my great-grandfa-
ther planted vegetables, but knew
diversifi cation was key for long
term sustainability,” said Vincent
Ricchiuti. “With this in mind, he
planted the fi rst family acreage
with grapes and fi gs.”
Pat Ricchiuti joined his father
in 1947 and expanded the fam-
ily farming business as a grower,
packer and shipper of stone fruit.
Vincent’s
father,
Patrick,
entered the business and diversi-
fi ed plantings to include cotton,
citrus, almonds, canning olives,
apples, raisins and grapes.
After graduation from Fresno
State University, Vincent became
Ricchiuti Farms
Patrick and Vincent Ricchiuti have been growing organic olives
since 2008 and milled their fi rst olive oil in 2011.
involved full-time in the business.
“My father and I learned that
98% of the olive oil consumed
in America was produced in for-
eign countries,” he said. “We were
already experienced and successful
in the process of growing olives for
canning and realized a great oppor-
tunity for us.”
In 2008, they planted three vari-
eties of organic olives — Arbe-
quina, Arbosana and Koroneiki —
to create delicate, medium and bold
olive oils in an expanding niche
market of organic consumers.
Today, there are approximately
450 acres of organic olive trees.
Olive trees, although suscep-
tible to frost damage and “olive
knot” disease, grow well in Cal-
ifornia’s fertile soil and Medi-
terranean climate. Olives are an
alternate bearing crop with heavy
yields one year followed by lighter
yields the next. They are typically
harvested and milled in November.
“The olive oil mill is located
on our farm,” Vincent said. “At
the facility, we crush, store, bottle,
label and ship all our estate grown
organic extra virgin Enzo Olive
Oil.”
While there are many chal-
lenges facing California agricul-
ture — including escalating labor
and production costs — the No. 1
issue remains water. The Califor-
nia drought is a costly problem for
the state and local farms, he said.
Anytime there is a shortage of
water, farmers have to modify their
irrigation inputs, which aff ects
crop yields and fruit size. If there
is not enough dedicated water for
a specifi c ranch or farm to meet
irrigation needs of the crop, then
purchasing additional water is
extremely costly and often limited.
With the demand for fresh Cali-
fornia olive oil continually increas-
ing across the country, more olive
trees are being planted.
Vincent says the state must
address and remedy the limited
water allotments for agriculture
and build additional water storage
facilities to help farmers in their
quest to feed the world.
Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the
Fresno County Farm Bureau, said
the Ricchiuti family is a stalwart of
the Fresno community.
“Their farming legacy in the
region the past century is iconic,
and Vincent is carrying on the
family tradition. Under his guid-
ance, the ENZO olive oil brand
has fl ourished, with even celeb-
rity chefs celebrating the quality of
their products.”
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