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Syria
is the original home of the olive tree where it has been
cultivated for thousands of years. The olive tree is an old
and known tree in the Syrian coast. It occupies a
progressive position in the agricultural sector after grain
and cotton. Expansion in this cultivation is still
continued.
Olive plantation is of a particular importance because olive
tree could be planted in the rain-fed land, poor and
marginal descent that are not suitable for many other crops,
as the olive tree is characterized by its ability to resist
drought.
It is known that olive cultivation spreads in the
Mediterranean basin where it contains 98% of the cultivated
areas in the world and there are 91 million olive trees
planted in Syria, according to figures from the Syrian olive
office.
The Syrian olive oil is considered from the best types of
oil in the world for purity and high quality in addition to
the benefits of food value.
The Dietitian Dr. Mahfouz Zidane said that olive oil is of
the best kinds of foods for its richness in vitamins and
antioxidants as it helps reduce cholesterol in blood and
symptoms of aging.
He pointed out that mixing olive oil with green anise helps
regulate heartbeats, with the garlic for the treatment of
asthma, atherosclerosis, blood pressure, with juniper plant
for treating diabetes, with coriander for treating
indigestion and gout and mixing olive oil with lavender is
good for the intestines, indicating that using it in many
Syrian foods such as salads and others is very useful.
The economic returns of this tree competes other
agricultures and crops, especially that increasing global
demand for olive oil in non-producing countries will provide
opportunities for the export and insure foreign exchange.
Most areas cultivated with olive trees are situated in north
and west of Syria in governorates of Idleb, Aleppo, Latakkia,
Trtous and in the central and south governorates such as
Daraa, Damascus countryside, Homs, Hama, Swidaa, Qunitra and
recently in the east in Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and al-Hassaka.
The production of olive trees in Syria last year reached
almost 800 thousand tonnes of which 18-20% is devoted to the
industrialization of table olives and the rest for oil
extraction (135 thousand tonnes).
In 2007olive production estimated at 600 thousand tonnes of
olives and 100 tonnes of oil. Average of annual consumption
of olive oil in Syria is 100, 000 tonnes, and thereby there
is always a surplus for exportation estimated at 35,000
tonnes.
Syria has moved from the stage of import to the stage of
autarky and then to the stage of the export.
Observers foresee the increase in production over the coming
years due to the expansion of this agriculture, the decline
of the average individual consumption and the decline in
exports, which will lead to increase of excess quantities of
oil which overflows the need for local consumption.
Ghossoun /
SANA |
