Olive production is estimated at 712,000 tons this season

The Ministry of Agriculture estimated the production of the olive crop for this season at about 711,769 tons, a decrease of about 28% from the previous season.

Eng. Abeer Jawhar, said that about 142,354 tons of production is allocated for the manufacture of table olives, and the bulk of about 569,414 tons is directed to pressing and producing olive oil, which is expected to produce about 91,105 tons of olive oil.

Aleppo governorate ranked first with production of about 266 thousand tons, but about 77% of it is in areas out of control, followed by Idlib governorate with production of about 124 thousand tons, then Homs governorate with production of 78 thousand tons.

According to Jawhar, the preliminary estimates of production indicate a significant decrease in the coastal region, which did not exceed 55,880 tons compared to the last season, when production reached 500,928 tons.

Jawhar added: The total production in areas out of control in the governorates of Aleppo, Idlib, Raqqa, Al-Ghab, Deir Ezzor and Al-Hasakah is estimated at about 363,073 tons, or about 49% of the total production. Therefore, olive production in safe areas is estimated at about 380,604 tons, of which about 20% is allocated for table olives while about 304,483 tons are allocated for pressing, which is expected to produce about 48,717 tons of olive oil.

Jawhar indicated that production is estimated initially according to data issued by the Directorates of Agriculture and field tours in the olive fields, taking into account the decrease in the oil production as a result of the dryness of the fruits and the decrease in the percentage of oil in them as a result of climate changes and high temperatures for relatively long periods of time.

Inas Abdulkareem