Circular economy in the olive oil value chain: assessment of by-product generation in the main olive-growing area of Argentina, San Juan
Renzi, Laura¹; Alday, Silvina²; Monetta, Pablo²
¹Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial – Sede San Juan (San Juan, Argentina) ²Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria – EEA San Juan (San Juan, Argentina) E-mail: lrenzi@inti.gob.ar
INTRODUCTION
The Argentine olive-growing chain has great potential to adopt sustainable practices through the valorization of by-products: olive pomace (alperujo) and olive pruning residues.
Olive pomace, due to its high organic load and phenolic content, represents an Olive pruning residues could be valorized as a
environmental challenge that requires proper treatment. Different technologies renewable energy source at the local scale or through
make it possible to valorize it by generating new commercially relevant products a composting process to obtain organic amendments,
as nutrients and bioactive compounds with significant added value.
among other technological options.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
To survey the amount of fruit milled from 2022 to 2025 the interview methodology was used. Based on those data, factor of 0.8 and 0.5 were applied to estimate the amount of olive pomace generated and pruning residues, respectively, in each location. Thematic cartography was prepared to represent the geographic distribution of the industry plants where these materials are generated and the main road networks, aspects of importance when proposing different scenarios for their valorization. The location of each industry was represented by a point symbol graduated according to the average value in tons of the variable considered, olive pomace and olive pruning.
By-products Generation
RESULTS
Geographic Distribution Mapping
Olive pomace
Analysis of olive pomace generation between the 2022 and 2025 campaigns indicates that most industrial plants maintained relatively stable production, with low interannual variability. Some plants, however, exhibited fluctuations exceeding 30% data variability, which do not appear to follow a defined pattern and are likely associated with changes in processing capacity or with the inflow of olives from other production areas (Figure 1).
As can be seen in Figure 2, the total amount of olive pomace generated during the last four years showed minimum values of 57,600 tons in 2022 and maximum values of 87,440 tons in 2023, with intermediate values in the following two years.
olive pomace (ton)
20000
18000 16000 14000 12000 10000
2022 2023 2024 2025
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
SJ01
SJ02
SJ03 SJ04 SJ05 SJ06
SJ07
SJ08 SJ09
SJ10
SJ11
SJ12
SJ13
SJ14
Industrial plants
Figure 1. Olive pomace generation by industrial plant in the Sarmiento
olive-growing zone during the 2022–2025 campaigns. The figure shows
the annual production of olive pomace (in tons) disaggregated by
industrial plant. Most facilities display relatively stable production levels
with low interannual variability. However, some plants, such as SJ01, SJ04,
and SJ10, exhibit fluctuations exceeding 30% data variability. These
differences are likely related to changes in processing capacity or to the
inflow of fruit from other olive-producing regions.
Olive Pomace (ton)
90000
80000
70000
60000
57600
87440
68680
Total Minimun Maximun
59760
50000
2022
2023
2024
Year
2025
Figure 2. Total annual olive pomace generated by
olive oil processing plants in the area between 2022-2005. Black dots represent total annual
production, while the red and green dotted lines indicate the minimum and maximum values estimated across the plants, respectively.
Olive pruning residues
Pruning residues (ton)
60000
50000
40000
36000
54650
42925
Total Minimun Maximun
37350
30000
2022
2023
Year
2024
2025
Figure 3. Olive pruning residues in Sarmiento, San Juan. The black line represents total values, while the red and green dotted lines indicate minimum and maximum values, respectively.
Figure 3 shows that the total amount of olive pruning residues generated by the olive oil sector in Sarmiento over the last four years ranged from a minimum of 36,000 tons in 2022 to a maximum of 54,650 tons in 2023, with intermediate values recorded in the subsequent years.
Industry Mapping The location of each industrial plant is represented by graduated point symbols according to the average production (in tons) of olive pomace and pruning residues.
Infrastructure Analysis. The main road networks were mapped to evaluate logistical aspects of valorization scenarios and collection efficiency.
Figures 4 and 5 show the
average values of olive
pomace and pruning
residues
generation
between
2022-2025
campaigns, respectively, by
industrial
plants,
georeferenced and mapped
within an olive-growing
area of the Sarmiento
Department, San Juan
Province. The 14 industrial
Reference
plants are located along
Figure 4. Olive pomace generation average, 2022-2025 campaigns.
approximately road, where a
70 km of remarkably
high volume of secondary
olive by-products is
generated. This spatial
concentration
of
production, combined with
the magnitude and relative
stability of olive pomace
and pruning residues
outputs, and the presence
of connecting road
networks, represents a key
advantage for advancing the
implementation
of
integrated olive oil
Figure 5. Olive pruning residues by-product valorization
average, 2022-2025 campaigns. processes.
CONCLUSIONS
The olive-growing area of the Sarmiento Department, San Juan Province generates a significant and stable volume of by-products during the last four years, from 57,600 to 87,440 tons of olive pomace and from 36,000 to 54,650 tons of pruning residues. The high and relatively consistent production levels of these secondary materials, that are generated in 14 plants located along approximately 70 km of road constitute a significant opportunity for their valorization. The georeferenced data of these materials, together with the existing road network connecting the industrial plants, provide essential inputs for developing technological and feasible solutions regionally adapted.
These factors create favorable conditions for add value to the national olivegrowing chain, implementing circular economy models that transforming biomass into viable and profitable business. Biomass valorization models create lasting environmental and economic benefits, fostering technological innovation and strengthening regional economies.
Funding: Convenio No. 146028906 INTI-INTA San Juan-Mendoza and Proyecto INTA PE I005.
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