The output of olive oil production in Middle Eastern countries around Mediterranean Sea would be one of the lowest in last years.
Different features caused this negative expected result. First of all, weather conditions didn’t help producers to have good results. But especially political turmoils and instability affected the economy of these countries and agriculture sector, discouraging investors.
In Sinai area, for example, one of the most important areas producing olive oil in Egypt, terrorist acts and the violent clashes between Egyptian army and radical militias are threating all agricultural activities. Some newspapers reported that olive trees are being used like a strategic weapon in the battles between the armed forces and rebels. The forecast, despite the instability, is for a production of about 4.000 tons.
In Palestinian Territories, this year, total production would be between 16.000 and 18.000 tons of oil. 3.000 tons will come from the trees of Gaza Strip that survived Israeli bombings of last summer, with the rest of Palestinian production coming from the West Bank. This is what declared mr Fayad Fayad, General Director of Olive and Oil Palestinian Council. He added that current price of oil is 26 Shekel, about 5,4€ per kilo, a price considered higher than appropriate by mr Fayad. Violent attacks by settlers against farmers harvesting are reported in different locations in West Bank.
No official forecast about Israelian production till now. But Jordanian press is complaining the exportation of big quantities of olives to Israel, causing a drop in national oil production. Fayad Zyoud, head of Producers Association of Jordan, has recently announced that the output for this harvest is forecast in about 25.000 tons. High price of olive oil, sold for 70-80 euro per 15 liters tank, is probably the main cause of the cases of oil adulteration and smuggling discovered by Jordanian authorities in last period. In the meanwhile, the association of millers is inviting consumers to buy directly their oil from “ma’asir”.
The Syrian situation has its own specificities, being this country a battlefield since more than two years. Although political issues olive sector is still important for Syrian economy, but the lack of rainfall and the carelessness of last two years affected the production that will reach only 90.000 tons of olive oil, recording a drop if compared to 175.000 tons produced during last harvest.
Lebanese production is expected to remain stable, despite lack of public help denounced by people working in the sector.
In Turkey producers are expecting for a medium harvest with 190.000 tons of olive oil, according to declaration of Cahit Çetin, Head of Tariş Olive and Oil Cooperative. He said that under good favorable conditions Turkey could arrive 300.000 tons of oil produced in one or two years.
Sources
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www.al-akhbar.com/
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www.hamapress.com
tishreen.news.sy
www.internationaloliveoil.org
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www.hurriyetdailynews.com
