LOAIME
Country: Spain
Purpose: Dual-purpose (table and oil)
Distribution: It is widespread throughout the province of Granada, especially in the region of La Vega and Norte, where 10,000 hectares of this variety are cultivated.
Synonyms: “Alohaime”, “Guitoso”, “Lucio Gordo”, “Negral”, “Plateado”
Agronomic and commercial considerations: It is a low vigorous variety, very productive and drought tolerant. Its entry into production is late, it has a good oil yield which is of good quality. The separation of the pulp from the seed is quite easy. Its main use is as table olives, being used with a very specific dressing. This consists of a passification of the olive fruits. To that end, once the olives are ripe, they are is dried in the shade, in a ventilated place and, mixed with salt, is stored. Such use is possible because the ripe fruit is sweet and doesn’t need traditional seasonings to be edible. Due to these characteristics, together with its early maturity, it is often attacked by birds, plus it seems to be sensitive to the olive leaf spot (Cycloconium oleaginum) and to cold.
