<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>"The olive tree: A legacy of benevolence"

By Ibtisam Awadat
Star Staff Writer

STAR - PEOPLE CALL it 'Bint Al Balad' (the daughter of the country). Known
for its nutritional value, the olive tree remains the most benevolent-giving
tree right up till this very day.

Olive trees in Jordan are one of the country's main sources of income,
forming over 70 percent of total agricultural revenues.

"It's well known that the olive tree is a seasonal one that bears olives in
large quantities. One year, the harvest is plentiful while in the next, it
decreases, " Khalil Jaren, head of the Information Department at the
Agricultural Extension Directorate pointed out. Jordanian farmers and
customers are aware of this phenomenon, and it is a major reason why
consumers buy extra quantities of olives and oil in the heavy harvest year,
to make up for the next.

Olives in the Kingdom are of a high quality. The 10-12 million trees are
planted in five areas: Amman, Zerqa, Irbid Balqaa and Jerash. Moreover, 18
percent of the planted lands bear olives very early on, while the rest take
more time to bloom.

The Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement with the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) to finance a campaign titled "Increasing the
Productivity of Olive Trees," as a step towards improving the quality of
olives and oil in the Kingdom. The campaign, which was launched in September
1998, will last till June 1999. It aims at promoting awareness among farmers
through directing them to up to date methods of farming, by the instruction
of agricultural engineers.

"The field survey was very efficient. It took into consideration the
problems which are facing olive farmers," Jaren added. The results of the
studies and workshops of the campaign will be published soon by the
Ministry. "If we get good results we may apply it on other kinds of crops,"
Jaren added.

Sources at the Ministry told The Star that the estimated figures of the
total production of olives for the current year is about 140,000 tons, while
olive oil quantities are expected to reach 255,000 tons.

Meanwhile, the local consumption of oil and olives is about 21,000 tons,
even though the season has not yet come to an end.

Statistics provided by agricultural engineer Ibrahim Abu Otaileh-head of the
Planning and Development Administration in the Ministry of Agriculture-said
that last year's harvest of olives was 82,002 tons, and 71,195 tons of oil.
In relation to oil for this year the production will eventually cover local
consumption.

"We ought to use more advanced methods and technologies, including special
fertilizers, irrigation systems and water harvest to guarantee high levels
of quality production," said farmer Salah Refa'i.

"However, many farmers consider the financial obstacles that are facing them
as the main reason against improving this stream of farming," Refa'i added.
He pointed out that he prefers growing olive trees to other kinds of farming
because he believes that it is a flourishing business.

"It's a heavy season this year, and till now, some farmers are still waiting
in the queue to get their olives processed," commented one of the farmers
who was anxiously watching the yellow-green olive oil squeezed from his
olives.

"Prices of oil depend on the quality produced each year. However, the most
preferable oil is that taken from Nebali olive trees," the farmer added.

The Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that Nebali olive trees contain
26-28 percent of oil. Meanwhile, "The imported oil is chemically treated and
the squeezed oil is of the second class quality," Jaren told the Star.

It's a fact that the oil in Jordan, Palestine and Syria has a special
flavor. "Locals instantly recognize Jordanian oil from its taste and color,"
Jaren added. He said that that in addition to the Gulf markets which prefer
this kind of olive, Jordanian communities all over are keen on importing
olives and oil from Jordan.

Nevertheless, if you take a look around mills, you may easily recognize
wrongful doings by farmers, like sending olives in plastic packages, which
badly affects the final product, since the oil starts to leak out. However,
the right procedure is to use potter packages instead of plastic ones.

Some people also actually boil the olives before sending them to the mills
to remove any bitter after-taste of the extracted oil. Others add a table
spoon of salt to oil bottle to remove the bitterness of the new oil, which,
sometimes it can be very sharp.

But there are also a lot of uses of the residues of the oil. The jeft for
example, a black substance, is used to generate energy. Unfortunately, this
type of substance is a wasted resource in Jordan. Few people use this
material as fertilizers or as a source for heating.

"Olives are a basic staple diet which I buy every year; my family and I also
use it for medicinal purposes," said Umm Ahmad, a housewife from Amman. "It
never leaves our table," Umm Ahmad added. "To make sure of its quality, I
buy the oil straight from the mill," she explained. Olives and the olive oil
industry is blooming. This is thanks to the endless efforts and care by
farmers to maintain one of the most famous agricultural crops in the Middle
East.
</pre>
</td></tr></table>