Lang
Amid uncertainty hanging over olive oil prices in Jordan due to a weak harvest, the Agriculture Ministry has announced that it does not intervene in setting olive oil prices, but will soon open the door to imports to meet demand and ease the burden on consumers amid rising prices.
Agricultural experts, for their part, stress that stabilising the olive oil market requires a delicate balance between consumers' purchasing power and protecting local producers. They argue that this balance cannot be achieved simply by opening imports, but requires a comprehensive market policy encompassing supply management, organised marketing, a regulated reserve stock, and temporary government intervention when necessary.
Osama Qattan, director of the Olive Directorate at the Agriculture Ministry, confirmed that the ministry does not intervene in olive oil pricing. He noted that the Union of Olive Press Owners and Olive Producers had set an indicative price for a tin of oil (110 to 120 dinars) before the start of the pressing season.
Qattan added that the ministry will work in the coming days to open the door to imports, aiming to bring balance to the domestic market in terms of prices and to ensure the availability of high-quality olive oil at prices suitable for citizens. He explained that imports would come from member states of the International Olive Council, known for their quality and globally competitive prices. He affirmed that prices after imports begin will be lower than current levels.
Qattan also noted that Jordan's average olive oil production over the past six years has stood at around 28,000 tonnes, while consumption is estimated at about 25,000 tonnes. He expected this season's output to range between 18,000 and 20,000 tonnes. Regarding the import of olive fruit, Qattan revealed that the ministry is studying this decision and will announce it soon.
Agricultural experts told Al Ghad that the current season should serve as a starting point for developing plans and strategies to adapt to climate change. They stressed that olive oil is a staple commodity that requires imports to cover market needs and break monopolistic practices, while emphasising the need to import from reliable sources.
In the same context, Khalil Amr, assistant secretary-general for marketing at the Agriculture Ministry, indicated that the ministry is working on preparing the criteria for granting oil import licences. A source familiar with the matter told Al Ghad that licences have already been granted to both the civilian and military institutions to import around 5,000 tonnes each from Tunisia, with the shipments expected to arrive by the end of this week.
Regarding the import of olive fruit, Hussein Basharat, former secretary of the Union of Olive Press Owners, affirmed that the best option for maintaining stability in this year's olive oil market is to study opening the door to importing olive fruit, especially given the sharp decline in tree yields this season. Basharat noted that this significant drop in production has led most presses to close or operate for very limited hours.
For his part, former Agriculture Minister Saeed Masri explained that balancing consumers' purchasing power with the protection of local producers cannot be achieved through imports alone, but requires an integrated market policy that includes supply management, organised marketing, reserve storage, and temporary government intervention. Masri added that imports should be a last resort, applied under precise quantitative and time-bound controls to protect this strategic sector, which forms part of Jordan's food and national identity.
Engineer Mahmoud Awran, director-general of the Farmers Union, said that the current season should mark the beginning of plans and strategies to adapt to climate change, stressing that olive oil is a strategic commodity in Jordan. He said that given the season's scarcity and the expected decline in oil quantities, along with the emergence of opportunistic "crisis traders", imports have become necessary to cover market needs and break monopolies, provided they come from reliable sources. However, he called for avoiding hasty decisions made in a "panic" manner, stressing that there is sufficient time to establish an organised import mechanism and determine the responsible authorities.
It is worth noting that the Agriculture Ministry had previously held a consultative meeting to monitor olive oil prices and review production for the current season, amid challenges and rising prices, and to discuss available options to ensure market stability and protect the interests of both farmers and consumers.
Source: Al Ghad