<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>>From: "syrien_paris" <syrie@multimania.com>
>continuous separation : I don't understand its influence on the acid
>level ( refer http://www.multimania.com/syrie/oliveoil.htm ) . Can you
>explain ?

Since the continouse (centrifuge) lines have a higher capacity (throughput)
than the hydraulic equipment, it will process more olives at a certain time.

Processing Capacity Olive (KG)/Hr
Hydrualic 500kg/hr
Centrifuge 1000 - 3000kg/hr (depending on the decanter size)

Thus, the olive at the continous plant will wait significantly less time
before it is processed than the olive that is waiting at the traditional
press. As you may know, the olive starts to deteriorate from the moment you
pick it off the tree.



>About the delay induced by the inadequate pressing capability : Does
>that not imply more presses instead of more modern ones ?

During the harvest season in Syria most of the farmer at a certan town pick
their olives within a four weeks window. That creates congestions at the
presses due to lack of high processing capacities.

>Are you sure about wthe delay of weeks before the olive can be pressed?
This is true at many of the presses in the North. Even though they have old
hydraulic presses, the farmers still go to them and wait for days and
sometime "over a week" to get their olives presses.

In Jordan we run into this situation on rare occasions in the middle of the
harvest season. However, we strive to process the olives within 24 hrs of
receipt at the press property.


>What could be the extra cost of the modern equipment (Return on
Investment Time)?

That will have to be discussed on a case by case bases.

>Considering that only the producers equipped with modern equipment will
>be suited to export , are they able to export and market their oil?

They do export to the Arabian Gulf region. I don't have the complete
statistics on Syria. However, to be a world class contender, the Syrian
olive oil have to compete not only in quality but in price as well. I
belive that the Syrian olive oil can compete in both.

>Syrian businessmen are very secretive and you will be amazed at the
>kind of modern equipment you can find in some 'hidden' place. ( eg I
>found machine tools that most French mechanics cannot afford).

The Allepo traders and manufacturers are famouse in the Middle East for
their creativity and capabilities.

>Some producers are pressing only their production and you will not have
>access to their facilities.

Can you give some examples?


>For the Syrian market , it seems that the domestic price of olive oil
>has collapsed because the local customer cannot afford to pay for olive
>oil far more than he/she can pay for the sunflower oil.

That is were the export market should be looked at by the Syrian producers.
Maybe the olive cooperatives and business groups should encourage the
production of quality olive oil that will meet the world class standards.

Jamal Sadoun
</pre>
</td></tr></table>