Dear Sohair

Regarding your questions about the export possibilities of Olive Oil out of
Syria, there is many things that have to happen before the Syrian oil is
successful outside of Syria:

Olive Oil production should switch from the old traditional method to using
the new continuos methods using centrifuges (decanters and Separators). The
Syrian press owners are moving slowly to changing their aging equipment.
This will improve the quality of olive oil produced in terms of lower
acidity levels, better taste, etc. Most of the villages in Northern Syria
lack new olive pressing plants. The farmers will have to wait for days
sometimes weeks to get their olive pressed. That deteriorates their
olives.

When I talked to some of the traditional press owners about switching and
modernizing their equipment, they expressed their fear that the farmers
might not accept the new technology and might not patronize their presses
anymore. I believe with more education, the farmers will realize the impact
of the new equipment in improving the quality of their oil, thus making it
more marketable outside of Syria.

One good example in Aleppo is Al Zaitony and Al Hariri in southern Syria.
They have purchased 4 Alfa Laval continuos plants from us in the past few
years. Their business is booming and the quality of their olive oil is much
better. However, in the North of Syria there is still a long way to go in
modernization. In general, I am impressed by the volume of olive and oil
production in Syria.

Jamal