The olive harvesting period has just begun and the olive mills are gearing up for action. Nets are being laid under trees and the countryside is filled with the whirring of electric harvesters. Producers who have a preference for “green oil” or who want to escape the autumn wave of dakos – the olive fly – which typically starts about the end of October, aim to get their crops picked and sent to the mill as soon as possible. A further advantage of harvesting early is that the olive mills have not yet become overloaded, so there is a good chance of the crop being processed immediately, which helps to preserve the quality of the oil.