Early olive picking increases amid harvest season shifts

AMMAN — Early olive harvest has become a strategic method of turning profits before the official beginning of the olive oil season, according to Jordanian olive growers.

On Tuesday, Olive Oil Producer and Mill Owners Syndicate Spokesperson Mahmoud Al Omari told The Jordan Times that “there are certain particularities for each farm, depending on the amount and variety of produce and rainfall in the area,” and that must be considered in harvesting. 

According to Omari, the time for harvesting olive trees, which is affected by the farm’s geographic location and elevation, is changing every year.

He added that farmers know that it is the ideal time for harvest when two-thirds of the olives turn an uneven, reddish-brown colour.

Regarding the prices of olive oil this year, Omari said that the price of a 16kg tank of olive oil will be around JD80, depending on the delivery date and the product’s quality.

“Traditional growers usually have their own harvest rituals. However, many farmers nowadays pick their olives early so that they can profit before the season starts,” Issa Obeidat, a farmer from Irbid, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

He also said that early-picked olive oil has more anti-inflammatory nutrients, and that “some people prefer it that way”.

Sameh Dasouqi, a Madaba-based farmer, said that he is eagerly awaiting the start of the season, as this is a profitable time of year for him.

“Harvest season is changing a bit due to climate change. However, it is usually centred between mid-October and mid-November,” he noted.