Latakkia - Syria is the original home of the olive tree where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. The olive tree is an old and known tree in the Syrian coast. It occupies a progressive position in the agricultural sector after grain and cotton. Expansion in this cultivation is still continued.
Olive plantation is of a particular importance because olive tree could be planted in the rain-fed land, poor and marginal descent that are not suitable for many other crops, as the olive tree is characterized by its ability to resist drought.
It is known that olive cultivation spreads in the Mediterranean basin where it contains 98% of the cultivated areas in the world and there are 91 million olive trees planted in Syria, according to figures from the Syrian olive office.
The Syrian olive oil is considered from the best types of oil in the world for purity and high quality in addition to the benefits of food value.
The Dietitian Dr. Mahfouz Zidane said that olive oil is of the best kinds of foods for its richness in vitamins and antioxidants as it helps reduce cholesterol in blood and symptoms of aging.
He pointed out that mixing olive oil with green anise helps regulate heartbeats, with the garlic for the treatment of asthma, atherosclerosis, blood pressure, with juniper plant for treating diabetes, with coriander for treating indigestion and gout and mixing olive oil with lavender is good for the intestines, indicating that using it in many Syrian foods such as salads and others is very useful.
The economic returns of this tree competes other agricultures and crops, especially that increasing global demand for olive oil in non-producing countries will provide opportunities for the export and insure foreign exchange.
Most areas cultivated with olive trees are situated in north and west of Syria in governorates of Idleb, Aleppo, Latakkia, Trtous and in the central and south governorates such as Daraa, Damascus countryside, Homs, Hama, Swidaa, Qunitra and recently in the east in Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and al-Hassaka.
The production of olive trees in Syria last year reached almost 800 thousand tonnes of which 18-20% is devoted to the industrialization of table olives and the rest for oil extraction (135 thousand tonnes).
In 2007olive production estimated at 600 thousand tonnes of olives and 100 tonnes of oil.
Average of annual consumption of olive oil in Syria is 100, 000 tonnes, and thereby there is always a surplus for exportation estimated at 35,000 tonnes.
Syria has moved from the stage of import to the stage of autarky and then to the stage of the export.
Observers foresee the increase in production over the coming years due to the expansion of this agriculture, the decline of the average individual consumption and the decline in exports, which will lead to increase of excess quantities of oil which overflows the need for local consumption.
By Ghossoun
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2009
