PlanesPete wrote on Dec 10^th, 2012 at 12:35pm:

Well, that means an average 2 hectare finca with 6 acres of olives makes €7200. Knock off as couple of hundred for spraying and do the rest yourself. It's not bad beer money, about what our basic costs are for living here. On the other hand, if you invested the capital at 2% pa you would only need to put €350,000.00 in the bank for the same return. Mind you, UK inflation is at 2.7% so that won't work. I think I will keep bringing them in.

I think the maths can be made to look good on paper if you can include the grant,as with most business plans,the practicality of it is so much different.Factor in bad years,cost of water plus well maintainance etc etc,fertiliser,wastage,fluctuating prices at the mill,transport. It all adds up ,otherwise everyone would be doing it. Hazelnut had it right....cut em up and use em on the fire ;)