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<pre>--- In PapasHaven@y..., Constantine Alexander <PapaAlexander@y...>
wrote:
Experts say Jordanian olive oil purest around

By Dana Charkasi

BAQAA — A good growing season does not always an
economic success make; a fact that olive producers say
is reflected in an olive oil market price decrease of
as much as 20 per cent this year.
Blame it on a surplus in supply.

"While last year the price for a can of pure olive oil
[16 litres] ranged between JD45 and JD50, currently
the price of a can can go as low as JD35," said olive
expert Ali Abu Zureiq at the National Centre for
Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer
(NCARTT).

Abu Zureiq on Sunday estimated that of the around
30,000 tonnes of pure olive oil produced in Jordan
last year, only the average annual local consumption
of around 20,000 tonnes will be absorbed by the local
market. Another 2,000 to 3,000 are exported to
neighbouring countries. The remaining 7,000 to 8,000
tonnes of pure olive oil are surplus "which should be
sold in the next coming eight months before the new
olive harvest season starts."

To revive the staggering olive oil market and stop
further losses for olive farmers, the Ministry of
Agriculture has made an appeal to the health-conscious
of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to buy high
quality Jordanian olive oil rather than import their
olive oil requirements from other traditional olive
oil producing countries such as Tunisia, Spain, Italy,
Turkey and Syria, which allegedly sell olive oil of
"lesser" quality.

Abu Zureiq said that olive farmers and olive oil mill
owners who sell to the local market do not apply an
international regulation which permits oil producers
to mix pure olive oil with a maximum of 25 per cent of
vegetable oil and still legally label it "virgin" -
pure olive oil.

"Our farmers and olive oil mill owners do not know
this rule and thus Jordanian olive oil is the only
real pure olive oil," Abu Zureiq said. He also pointed
out that no olive oil refineries exist in Jordan, a
fact he insists, adds yet another quality point to
Jordanian olive oil since all other olive oil
producing countries refine their olive oil.

"Refining withdraws many vitamins from olive oil,
depriving the oil of much of its healthy components,"
he added.

Olive oil is known to reduce blood cholestorol levels
and provide the body with many necessary vitamins and
trace elements. The proof of an unrefined oil is in
its "turbidity" — the "sludge" that rests at the
bottom of the bottle that is often mistaken by
consumers as an "impurity," Abu Zureiq said:
"Consumers prefer clear olive oil not knowing that
they buy refined olive oil deprived of much of its
benefits."

"If you want to taste the natural taste and smell of
real pure olive oil, you have to try Jordanian olive
oil," he enthused.

=====
Constantine Alexander
http://www.OliveTree.cc
Where Olive Oil is a Passion
http://PapasHaven-subscribe@y...
"Olio nuovo e vino vecchio"
"Aceite de oliva, todo mal quita"
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<pre>In the following article in paragraph 5 the writer Dana Charkasi refers to
'an International regulation' which allows the mixing of up to 25% vegetable
oil to pure olive oil and still labelling it "virgin"-pure olive oil.
What organization allows such adulteration and where can one find such a
regulation? I'll bet it has nothing to do with I.O.O.C.!

Alan Watt, Tanja Olives



-----Original Message-----
From: Jamal Sadoun [mailto:jamalsadoun@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 5:43 PM
To: oliveoil@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [OliveOil] Fwd: The Jordan Times report on olive oil.


--- In PapasHaven@y..., Constantine Alexander <PapaAlexander@y...>
wrote:
Experts say Jordanian olive oil purest around

By Dana Charkasi

BAQAA — A good growing season does not always an
economic success make; a fact that olive producers say
is reflected in an olive oil market price decrease of
as much as 20 per cent this year.
Blame it on a surplus in supply.

"While last year the price for a can of pure olive oil
[16 litres] ranged between JD45 and JD50, currently
the price of a can can go as low as JD35," said olive
expert Ali Abu Zureiq at the National Centre for
Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer
(NCARTT).

Abu Zureiq on Sunday estimated that of the around
30,000 tonnes of pure olive oil produced in Jordan
last year, only the average annual local consumption
of around 20,000 tonnes will be absorbed by the local
market. Another 2,000 to 3,000 are exported to
neighbouring countries. The remaining 7,000 to 8,000
tonnes of pure olive oil are surplus "which should be
sold in the next coming eight months before the new
olive harvest season starts."

To revive the staggering olive oil market and stop
further losses for olive farmers, the Ministry of
Agriculture has made an appeal to the health-conscious
of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to buy high
quality Jordanian olive oil rather than import their
olive oil requirements from other traditional olive
oil producing countries such as Tunisia, Spain, Italy,
Turkey and Syria, which allegedly sell olive oil of
"lesser" quality.

Abu Zureiq said that olive farmers and olive oil mill
owners who sell to the local market do not apply an
international regulation which permits oil producers
to mix pure olive oil with a maximum of 25 per cent of
vegetable oil and still legally label it "virgin" -
pure olive oil.

"Our farmers and olive oil mill owners do not know
this rule and thus Jordanian olive oil is the only
real pure olive oil," Abu Zureiq said. He also pointed
out that no olive oil refineries exist in Jordan, a
fact he insists, adds yet another quality point to
Jordanian olive oil since all other olive oil
producing countries refine their olive oil.

"Refining withdraws many vitamins from olive oil,
depriving the oil of much of its healthy components,"
he added.

Olive oil is known to reduce blood cholestorol levels
and provide the body with many necessary vitamins and
trace elements. The proof of an unrefined oil is in
its "turbidity" — the "sludge" that rests at the
bottom of the bottle that is often mistaken by
consumers as an "impurity," Abu Zureiq said:
"Consumers prefer clear olive oil not knowing that
they buy refined olive oil deprived of much of its
benefits."

"If you want to taste the natural taste and smell of
real pure olive oil, you have to try Jordanian olive
oil," he enthused.

=====
Constantine Alexander
http://www.OliveTree.cc
Where Olive Oil is a Passion
http://PapasHaven-subscribe@y...
"Olio nuovo e vino vecchio"
"Aceite de oliva, todo mal quita"



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</pre>
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