The Latakia governorate announced the launch of this year's olive harvest season, amid expectations of a bountiful crop that will help secure farmers' livelihoods and provide wide seasonal employment opportunities, despite high production costs. Farmers hope to achieve financial returns that compensate for the rise in agricultural input prices, as preliminary estimates indicate that production volumes will surpass those of the previous season.
In the same context, farmer Malik Ahmad Al-Jardi clarified, during interviews with SANA correspondents in the Kirsana area, that this year's crop is very abundant, with quantities exceeding those recorded in the previous season by multiples, attributing this to favorable climatic conditions and sufficient rainfall that contributed to irrigating the trees. He pointed out that the percentage of extracted oil remains lower than in the previous season, due to starting the harvest before the fruits ripened, expressing his hope to market the product at appropriate prices.
For his part, farmer Hamad Hamad called on the Directorate of Agriculture to enhance support and meet farmers' needs in the fields of agricultural extension, securing traps to combat pests, and pesticide spraying supplies. Ali Al-Jardi, an olive mill owner, confirmed that the mill receives large quantities daily, but the percentage of extracted oil is lower due to weather factors and the nature of varieties. He noted that securing fuels and rising electricity prices constitute the most prominent challenges facing the sector.
Worker Ghasan Qarhali emphasized that the season provides numerous job opportunities for seasonal workers in various stages of production, from harvesting to marketing. The olive tree is one of the most important trees in Syria, with its numbers exceeding 101 million trees last year, of which 90 million are fruit-bearing, contributing about 3 percent to national income and 9.5 percent to agricultural income.
These activities gain significant economic and social importance, as a wide segment of the population is linked to them, making production stability and the availability of inputs essential factors in supporting income. These figures come amid continued efforts to improve the reality of agricultural production in the governorate.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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