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

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Thanks for your very welcome post, Peter.

As a consumer who uses olive oil almost exclusively, I couldn't agree more. I
often pay a higher price for cold-pressed extra-virgin, but much prefer its
taste. Mort Rosenblum, discusses this subject extensively throughout his
very readable 1996 book "Olives: The Life and Lore of a Noble Fruit,"
published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Even my seven-year-old granddaughter notes the difference. When taste-tasting
with me at a store, she will invariably pick a cold-pressed oil.

If Syria hopes to export to America, I think it is the cold-pressed oils we
are looking for, though I don't have any statistics to back up my statement.
I would think, however, they could be gathered.

All best, Kaye

In a message dated 8/9/99 3:46:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
c581927@showme.missouri.edu writes:

> From: Peter Warnock <c581927@showme.missouri.edu>

Howdy,

I'm rather new to the list, and am a graduate student doing research on
traditional olive oil production in the Near East. I've done most of my
research in Jordan and Palestine/Israel. I do have a comment about a
statement posted earlier on the list:

On Sat, 7 Aug 1999, Sadoun wrote:

>Dear Sohair

>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.

While the delay at the oil mill does cause problems with the olives, I
disagree that going to modern methods is not always the best path to take.

A large number of the high quality (and high priced) oil on the market are
from small mills that do traditional methods. Crushing with the
traditional stone millstones (some bottles have pictures of such stones or
the method is mentioned on the label) and pressed with an upright (usually
hydraulic) press, giving "cold pressed" oil. Most of the people I've talked
to in my research prefer the cold pressed oil to oil produced at centrifugal
mills. I think as modern bulk produced oil erodes the market of the
traditionally produced oil, taste preferences shift towards the modern oil as
it is the only oil people are then accustomed too. I found the oils produced
at the traditional mills to be much more flavorfull and exciting than the oil
from the modern mills I visited. I think it would
be to the benefit of all that some traditional mills continue to produce,
rather than switching over to the centrifugal process. Proper exposure
and sales could allow them to produce a quality product.

Peter Warnock
Dept. of Anthropology
Univ. of Missouri
Columbia, MO
c581927@showme.missouri.edu
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Howdy,

I'm rather new to the list, and am a graduate student doing research on
traditional olive oil production in the Near East. I've done most of my
research in Jordan and Palestine/Israel. I do have a comment about a
statement posted earlier on the list:

On Sat, 7 Aug 1999, Sadoun wrote:

> Dear Sohair
>
> 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.

While the delay at the oil mill does cause problems with the olives, I
disagree that going to modern methods is not always the best path to take.
A large number of the high quality (and high priced) oil on the market are
from small mills that do traditional methods. Crushing with the
traditional stone millstones (some bottles have pictures of such stones or
the method is mentioned on the label) and pressed with an upright (usually
hydraulic) press, giving "cold pressed" oil. Most of the people I've
talked to in my research prefer the cold pressed oil to oil produced at
centrifugal mills. I think as modern bulk produced oil erodes the market
of the traditionally produced oil, taste preferences shift towards the
modern oil as it is the only oil people are then accustomed too. I found
the oils produced at the traditional mills to be much more flavorfull and
exciting than the oil from the modern mills I visited. I think it would
be to the benefit of all that some traditional mills continue to produce,
rather than switching over to the centrifugal process. Proper exposure
and sales could allow them to produce a quality product.

Peter Warnock
Dept. of Anthropology
Univ. of Missouri
Columbia, MO
c581927@showme.missouri.edu



>
> 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

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Kaye,

Appreciate your support. Rosenblum's book mirrors much of my research in
Jordan and Palestine/Israel.

Peter

On Mon, 9 Aug 1999 Kayenoble@aol.com wrote:

> From: Kayenoble@aol.com
>
> Thanks for your very welcome post, Peter.
>
> As a consumer who uses olive oil almost exclusively, I couldn't agree more. I
> often pay a higher price for cold-pressed extra-virgin, but much prefer its
> taste. Mort Rosenblum, discusses this subject extensively throughout his
> very readable 1996 book "Olives: The Life and Lore of a Noble Fruit,"
> published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
>
> Even my seven-year-old granddaughter notes the difference. When taste-tasting
> with me at a store, she will invariably pick a cold-pressed oil.
>
> If Syria hopes to export to America, I think it is the cold-pressed oils we
> are looking for, though I don't have any statistics to back up my statement.
> I would think, however, they could be gathered.
>
> All best, Kaye
>
> In a message dated 8/9/99 3:46:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> c581927@showme.missouri.edu writes:
>
> > From: Peter Warnock <c581927@showme.missouri.edu>
>
> Howdy,
>
> I'm rather new to the list, and am a graduate student doing research on
> traditional olive oil production in the Near East. I've done most of my
> research in Jordan and Palestine/Israel. I do have a comment about a
> statement posted earlier on the list:
>
> On Sat, 7 Aug 1999, Sadoun wrote:
>
> >Dear Sohair
>
> >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.
>
> While the delay at the oil mill does cause problems with the olives, I
> disagree that going to modern methods is not always the best path to take.
>
> A large number of the high quality (and high priced) oil on the market are
> from small mills that do traditional methods. Crushing with the
> traditional stone millstones (some bottles have pictures of such stones or
> the method is mentioned on the label) and pressed with an upright (usually
> hydraulic) press, giving "cold pressed" oil. Most of the people I've talked
> to in my research prefer the cold pressed oil to oil produced at centrifugal
> mills. I think as modern bulk produced oil erodes the market of the
> traditionally produced oil, taste preferences shift towards the modern oil as
> it is the only oil people are then accustomed too. I found the oils produced
> at the traditional mills to be much more flavorfull and exciting than the oil
> from the modern mills I visited. I think it would
> be to the benefit of all that some traditional mills continue to produce,
> rather than switching over to the centrifugal process. Proper exposure
> and sales could allow them to produce a quality product.
>
> Peter Warnock
> Dept. of Anthropology
> Univ. of Missouri
> Columbia, MO
> c581927@showme.missouri.edu
>
>
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</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Dear Amer:

Zeno Food Industry is one of the leading producers and exporters of Syrian olive
oil, we ship both bulk and consumer packs.

We would like to explore the possibility of working together.
Kindly visit our website www.zenooliveoil.com, and revert.


With my kindest regards
Hassan Zeno

Zeno Food Industries Co.
P. O. Box 11900
Aleppo, Syria
Off. +(963-21) 266-6003
Fax. +(963-21) 266-6081
Mbl +(963-94) 488-444
e-mail: zenooil@...
www.zenooliveoil.com
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Dear Hassan,

Thank you for your email.

Two years ago we had some correspondences concerning exporting your olive oil to
Canada and the States, but unfortunately it was unsuccessful
due to some difficulties from your part.
I am so interested to cooperate with you, as I am of Syrian origin and I know
the quality of the Syrian olive oil which do not have the opportunity
yet to be presented properly in the North American markets.

The North American market is a huge one, and there are still a lot of
opportunities in that market, if you are serious enough to do business now in
that market, please send me more information about your products and list of
prices.

Awaiting your soonest reply.

Best Regards,

Amer Bitar

{Moderator note: This should now go "off list" and further communication between
you, as a commercial transaction, should not be in the public arena but between
private email addresses. Thanks
John Attwood
Co-moderator}

----- Original Message -----
From: ZENOOIL@...
To: OliveOil@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 9:06 AM
Subject: [OliveOil] Olive oil from SYria



Dear Amer:

Zeno Food Industry is one of the leading producers and exporters of Syrian
olive oil, we ship both bulk and consumer packs.

We would like to explore the possibility of working together.
Kindly visit our website www.zenooliveoil.com, and revert.


With my kindest regards
Hassan Zeno

Zeno Food Industries Co.
P. O. Box 11900
Aleppo, Syria
Off. +(963-21) 266-6003
Fax. +(963-21) 266-6081
Mbl +(963-94) 488-444
e-mail: zenooil@...
www.zenooliveoil.com