Judges conduct blind evaluations of olive samples at the Longnan Institute of Economic Forestry's sensory evaluation laboratory. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2026 Australian International Olive Award (AIOA) was held on Sept 6 and 7 in Wudu district, Longnan, Gansu province, marking the first time this prestigious competition has set a venue in West China, with Wudu as the sole judging location in the country.

The AIOA, founded in 1995 and becoming international in 2017, is renowned for its rigorous blind tasting process. This year, five global judging sites, including Longnan, evaluated samples from Spain, Italy, Greece, and more, with a professional panel conducting closed sensory evaluations per International Olive Council standards.

At the opening ceremony, the Longnan Institute of Economic Forestry was designated the competition's official sensory evaluation laboratory, becoming one of the few domestic institutions with this qualification.

Wudu, known as "China's Olive Hometown," has localized Mediterranean varieties over 50 years. The district's olive area covers over 42,666 hectares, with an output value of over 4 billion yuan ($596.41 million), benefiting more than 200,000 residents.

Local enterprises maintain high production standards, and several products have won international awards. They have also extended the industrial chain by developing derivative products in food, personal care, and cultural and creative sectors.

The event also featured matchmaking activities, attracting enterprises from across the country for business discussions and industry tours.