Jordan farmers expect 4,000 tons of olive oil in current season

Residents and farmers in Jordan participate in the annual olive harvest, a season that provides seasonal employment and serves as a primary source of income for rural families. Workers like Alaa and Um Ahmed earn wages based on the weight of olives they harvest, helping their households meet living expenses before the winter months.

The harvest creates a direct link between producers and consumers as families travel across different governorates to visit olive presses.

Consumers such as Mohammad Al-Qaisi and Abu Nader visit these sites to witness the extraction process firsthand, which helps them verify the quality and origin of the oil. This tradition allows families to secure supplies for their homes while spending time in rural areas. The agricultural sector also generates secondary benefits from waste products. Abu Ahmed Al-Baqour, a livestock breeder, uses olive leaves from the cleaning process as animal feed to reduce costs.

Mohammad Arayda noted that some press waste is dried and used as fuel for heating during the winter. These practices help minimize waste and provide economic alternatives for local residents. Qais Abu Amira, the director of the Balqa Governorate Agriculture Department, stated that the region is a major agricultural hub with 110,000 dunams of olive trees. The department expects to produce approximately 4,000 tons of olive oil this season, supported by 10 olive presses.

The ministry of agriculture continues to provide guidance to farmers to maintain the quality of the national product and protect the rights of producers.