Chinese Olive Oil That Rivals the Mediterranean

At 67, Taiwanese entrepreneur Lin Chunfu has spent ten years rooted in Mianning, Sichuan, producing extra virgin olive oil that rivals the Mediterranean.

Lin Chunfu, now 67, stands on a hillside overlooking the Anning River Valley. It is autumn, and the sunlight is clear and bright. The wind rises from the valley, carrying a trace of moisture from the river before quickly dissipating into warm, dry air. The olive trees stretch across the hills in lush rows. Everything here feels very different from his hometown in Taiwan.

“Taiwan is very humid,” he says. “Every summer we have typhoons. Here, winter feels comfortable, the sun is warm.”

The lush green hillsides are olive groves.

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