IRBID — Each season, Jordanian families store olive
oil in tanks so that they have enough for an entire year, and local demand for it
is typically high as it is an indispensable ingredient in Jordanian
cuisine.
This year, however, the Kingdom has a surplus of 2,500 tons of
olive oil.
اضافة اعلان
Each year, farmers produce large quantities of olive oil to
satisfy local demand and leave enough for exports.
However, last season, farmers and traders faced a sudden
setback that placed olive oil exportation on hold. According to Ali Al-Masri, a
farmer who owns an olive farm in Irbid, "The setback coincided with the onset
of the pandemic, which led to a huge loss that we bore by offering oil at very
low prices. We did not want to accumulate it in our homes."
The problem began in 2019, when weather conditions weakened the
growth of the olive flower. This delayed harvest and had an impact on the
quality of the olive oil being produced.
In an interview with
Jordan News, Tayseer Al-Najdawi,
vice president of the General Syndicate of Owners of the Press and Producers of
Jordanian Olives, contended that Jordanian olive farmers are suffering.
"While a small tank of olive oil costs between 60 and
75 JDs, the farmer today is forced to sell it for a maximum price of 45 JDs,”
he said.
He added that olive oil imports from Turkey, Palestine, and
other countries into Jordan were the main reason behind the 2,500-ton surplus.
Musa Al-Saket, secretary of the Jordanian Association of
Olive Products Exporters, told
Jordan News that he sent Minister of
Agriculture Khaled Al-Hanaifat solutions that may reduce olive oil quantities before
next season.
According to Saket, he called the minister of agriculture to
discuss the current situation and study the measures that must be taken. He
also called for the establishment of a government-backed marketing company to
help promote Jordanian olive oil.
"There are talks about the government's financial
support for farmers," he said.
"We
have been promised an abundant tourism season for this summer, and this plays
an important role in restoring the spirit of the Jordanian olive oil market,”
Najdawi said. “Unlike last year, Jordan will witness an influx of
expatriates this year, who usually leave with olive oil tanks. This would help solve
the olive oil problem we are facing.”
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