Primo – the project for the revival of the indigenous Maltese olive tree – is entering a new phase with the arrival in Malta of 6,000 two-year-old rootstock plants that will be grafted using the indigenous Bidnija variety.
The plants have been imported from the Puglia region in Italy through COVIP – the Consorzio Vivaistico Pugliese – under the supervision and guidance of Dott. Luigi Catalano. They are currently in the Agriculture Department’s greenhouse at St Vincent de Paule in Luqa where they are undergoing a period of acclimatisation before the grafting process, which is scheduled to begin in the next few days. Purchase of the rootstock was financed by Bank of Valletta.
Launched earlier this year, Primo is an environmental and afforestation initiative undertaken by Sam Cremona with the support of Bank of Valletta and the Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry. Primo is seeking to encourage the dissemination of the indigenous Maltese olive tree with the long-term view of achieving the critical mass necessary to be able to produce certified oil and related products.
The first stage of the project involved a survey to assess the interest on the part of the general public to grow the indigenous Maltese olive trees on their land. Over 250 Maltese and Gozitan people declared their interest to collectively plant over 13,700 indigenous Maltese olive trees on their land over the next two years.
Speaking on the arrival of the rootstock plants in Malta, Mr Cremona said that he was pleased with the quality of the rootstock plants which should contribute towards the success of the grafting process. He said that the Agriculture Department is very well equipped and manned and is putting its full weight behind the project by providing the greenhouse as well as the human resources necessary for the grafting of the indigenous Maltese olive trees. He also announced that experts from the Istituto Agronomico di Bari will be in Malta to oversee the grafting process and to give useful support to the Maltese grafters during this next phase of Primo.
Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Agriculture and Fisheries Francis Agius said that the ministry is well aware of the importance of conserving local varieties as part of the heritage of the Maltese Islands. The ministry is, he said, currently carrying out conservation measures on various plant species in Ghammieri. Considerable investment has been made into finding and collecting suitable varieties, including those of olives, vines, prickly pears, oranges, peaches and figs. In some cases these are being complemented with DNA analysis and descriptions.
Dr Agius said that the conservation of Maltese and Gozitan olive varieties will ensure that those varieties that have developed on these islands or which have been present for many years are not lost. This conservation exercise will permit the use of such varieties on a commercial scale to complement other varieties which come mainly from Italy. As part of the PRIMO project, certified olive plants will be produced at the government nursery of St Vincent De Paule. To this effect the necessary tests required by Maltese law are being carried out on the motherplants from which the grafting material will be taken. The arrival of the certified rootstock is the first step in this process, which should finally produce CAC certified Maltese varieties, said Dr Agius.
Executive Head at Bank of Valletta CEO’s office Charles Borg expressed his satisfaction at the progress being registered by the PRIMO project. “Bank of Valletta is lending its full support to this project since we believe that this will have a very positive impact on the environment, together with promoting the propagation of the indigenous Maltese olive tree varieties,” he said.
“Indeed, we are encouraged by the outstanding and widespread response that this project has received. Our support forms part of the environmental pillar of our Community Programme and underlines the bank’s commitment to contribute towards Malta’s environment,” Mr Borg concluded.