Demand for olive oil picks up as 40% of harvest complete — sector representative

AMMAN — Around 40 per cent of Jordan’s olives have been harvested since the beginning of the olive harvest season, according to Olive Oil Producer and Mill Owner Syndicate Spokesperson Mahmoud Al Omari.

“There is a very good turnout of citizens for olive oil, the prices are stable and olives are of exceptional quality,” Omari told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“The olive oil harvest is still ongoing because many wait for the first rains of the season, believing that they improve the quality of olives and augment oil quantity,” he said.

He pointed out that some farmers follow a certain schedule for optimum picking, while other growers pick their olives as late as possible to reach the optimal stage of olive characteristics that they desire.

The price of a 16kg tank of olive oil ranges between JD70 and JD80, according to Omari.

 “This year olives in Jordan have matured earlier, due to climate change, resulting in an increase in the percentage of olive oil by 3-4 per cent, when compared with last year’s oil percentage,” he said.

This year’s olive oil production in the Kingdom is expected to be between 22,000 and 24,000 tonnes, he noted.

In Jordan, there are over 20 million olive trees, 138 olive mills that directly employ around 1000 people, in addition to creating indirect employment opportunities for many.