OLIVE INDUSTRY IN JORDAN

M.M. Qrunfleh
Jordan is one of the Middle East countries located between latitudes 29°N and 33°N and longitudes 34°E to 39°E and whose climatic conditions enable olive growing. Olive industry in Jordan witnessed a tremendous progress within the last 30 years (1980-2009). The progress included production of nursery olive trees using modern techniques and adoption of intensive olive growing, training and pruning systems. A landmark of olive orchards management was observed in all aspects of production starting with orchard site choice, fertilizers and fertilization, supplemental irrigation and methods of irrigation, olive cultivar choice, semi-mechanical harvesting, organic olive production, integrated pest management, and finally olive processing and olive oil extraction. For these reasons, Jordan at present is self-sufficient in olive production and is exporter. Total number of grown trees jumped from 346,148 in 1987 to 11,127,000 in 2007. Olive production increased from 82,003 metric tons in 1997 to 138,689 ton in 2008 and the area planted with olive boosted from 94,139 to 127,572 ha in the same period. This rising of olive production is directly related to the irrigated horticulture which enabled growing olive trees in the eastern part of the country using underground water. Table olive and olive oil produced, exported, and imported changed dramatically during the period 1986 to 2006. For example, in 1986 table olive produced, exported, and imported was 31,800, 1,200 and 300 ton, respectively, while in 2006 these figures changed to 146,800, 2,700 and zero ton, respectively. For olive oil, the amount exported and imported in 1986 was 1900 and 7400 ton, respectively, while in 2006 the exported and the imported amount of olive oil was 2500 and zero ton, respectively. In conclusion, the future of olive industry in Jordan on the short and the long run is promising.
Qrunfleh , M.M. (2011). OLIVE INDUSTRY IN JORDAN. Acta Hortic. 924, 467-478
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.924.60
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.924.60
Olea europaea L., rainfed, irrigated, harvesting, oil processing
English

Acta Horticulturae