AMMAN -- Olive oil production will begin in early November, as the country's olive presses finalise preparations, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Saturday.
Technical teams from the ministry are checking on preparedness of the presses before announcing the opening of the olive pressing season on November 6, Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said.
A total of 125 olive oil presses are spread across the country, especially in the central and northern regions, with an investment volume exceeding JD200 million.
"Technicians are touring the country's presses and inspecting their equipment and hygiene to make sure that the quality of Jordanian olive oil remains high and among the best globally," Haddadin told The Jordan Times over the phone.
He noted that farmers started picking olives in mid-October after the ministry advised them to delay the harvest.
"It is better to postpone picking olives until mid-October because the first rain showers wash the dust off the olives and more oil is produced when the harvest is delayed for a certain period," Haddadin noted.
He expected olive oil production to be high this year, because many additional olive trees started bearing fruit this season, coupled with heavy rainfall during the last wet season.
This season's olive oil production is expected to amount to 35,536 tonnes, compared to 26,929 tonnes last year, according to the ministry.
Jordan is the world's eighth largest producer of olive oil, exporting its product to several countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the US.
The average per capita consumption of olive oil in Jordan stands at about 3.43 kilogrammes per year, and the country's overall annual consumption stands at about 21,773 tonnes, according to the ministry.
Agriculture ministry figures indicate that there are around 20 million olive trees in Jordan, with average exports worth JD20 million per year.
© Jordan Times 2012
