24th National Olive Festival achieves record JD3.5 million in sales

AMMAN — The "24th National Olive Festival and Rural Products Exhibition" has achieved unprecedented success, generating sales of JD3.5 million and attracting 1,050 participants this year, according to Minister of Agriculture Khaled Huneifat.

In a press conference on Thursday, Huneifat revealed that the sale of olive oil at the festival reached JD1.3 million, while the contract sale of olive oil outside the festival reached JD200,000. The festival also saw the sale of rural products, dates, honey and other goods worth JD1.9 million, with off-site contract sales of JD 100,000.

Olive oil sales reached a record high this year, with 218 tonnes sold, compared to 174 tonnes in 2023 and 168 tonnes in 2022. Huneifat also highlighted the inclusion of honey, in cooperation with the Jordanian Beekeepers Association and the Jordanian Beekeepers Union, and dates, in cooperation with the Jordanian Dates Association.

The festival introduced "electronic tracking" technology, with a specialised company working around the clock to apply QR codes to each jar of olive oil and honey entering the festival. These codes provide product information, including test results, ensuring transparency and quality control, the minister noted.

According to the electronic tracking system, 84 per cent of the olive oil sold was extra virgin, 12 per cent was virgin and 4 per cent was regular virgin. Huneifat assured the public that no adulterated olive oil was detected, as any inferior oil was excluded from the event.

Looking to the future, Huneifat suggested that the ministry might consider expanding the festival to Gulf countries, capitalising on its success in supporting rural families and improving their livelihoods, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Huneifat also highlighted the use of Cial's smart solutions to track visitor numbers, revealing that 361,000 people attended the festival this year. The increase in attendance, he explained, was due to the festival's strong reputation and the high level of public confidence in the authenticity and quality of its products.

The minister explained that the festival now meets around 20 per cent of the capital's olive oil needs and highlighted the large volume of contract sales, with 29 tonnes of olive oil sold through contracts outside the festival.