Olive oil prices to stay steady despite rising production costs — Stakeholder

AMMAN — Despite the rise in production input prices, the prices of olive oil presses will remain stable in order to keep the product’s price level and support olive growers and farmers, according to an industry representative.

On Saturday, the Olive Oil Producers and Mill Owners Syndicate Spokesperson Mahmoud Al Omari told The Jordan Times that “the syndicate has decided to keep the same olive oil press prices, so that citizens would be encouraged and not charged with additional costs”.

The spokesperson added that olive oil presses across the Kingdom will start operating by October 15, noting that production depends on geographic area, olive variety and the harvest’s size and colour. 

Further, Omari warned citizens and residents against buying fraudulent olive oil, which may quantities of other vegetable oils. 

“It is best to buy olive oil from trusted olive oil mills,” he added.

According to Omari, prices of production inputs and transportation have increased significantly in the last production period. However, olive oil production is expected to increase by around 35 per cent this year compared with last season. The figures will be more precise two weeks from now, Omari noted.

There are an estimated 20 million olive trees in Jordan, Omari said, where 10 per cent of olives are pickled, and the remaining are pressed in 138 mills across the country.

“We are fully prepared for the season, and expect to have a growing demand for our services,” Ammar Musa, an employee at an olive oil mill in Jerash, told The Jordan Times over the phone.