Olive cultivation continually developing, says agriculture minister

AMMAN — Agriculture Minister Khaled Huneifat on Saturday stressed that olive cultivation in Jordan is witnessing continuous development, as cultivated areas have reached an area of 570,000 dunums that host 11 million olive trees, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Announcing the beginning of olive harvest season in Karak, Huneifat said that land used to grow olives constitutes 72 per cent of all land planted with fruit trees, and 20 per cent of Jordan’s total cultivated area.

The minister described Jordan as a natural habitat for olive cultivation in the Middle East, evidenced by the presence of perennial Roman olive trees in different regions of the Kingdom.

Around 22.660 thousand dunums of Karak are planted with 421,658 olive trees.

The governorate also includes seven mills, with a production capacity of 21 tonnes per hour, he added, noting that there are 139 mills in all of Jordan, with an estimated production capacity of 451 tonnes per hour.

Affirming the ministry's cooperation with farmers in all sectors in response to Royal directives, he highlighted the significance of the olive sector due to its economic, environmental and social importance.