While olive farmers are optimistic about a strong harvest this season, a decision to raise olive pressing fees from 65 to 75 piasters per kilogram has sparked discontent among farmers, who say the increase adds new financial burdens to the cost of olive production.
These costs include tree maintenance, labor, harvesting, transportation and packaging, as well as fluctuations in production from one season to another and the difficulty of ensuring returns that cover the expenses farmers incur throughout the year.
Farmers say that although the increase in pressing fees may appear limited when calculated per kilogram of olives, its impact becomes more significant when applied to the large quantities processed during the season, particularly for farmers whose holdings produce hundreds of kilograms of olives.
They stressed that pressing costs are only one part of a long chain of expenses that begins with caring for the land and trees and does not end with extracting, packaging and storing the oil. Any additional increase therefore has a direct impact on the season’s financial calculations and final returns.
They also noted that olive cultivation requires continuous care and year-round effort. Landowners bear the costs of plowing, pruning, pest control and other agricultural services, in addition to workers’ wages during harvesting, transporting olives to presses, purchasing oil containers, and guarding and monitoring their lands. These obligations are not determined solely by the size of the final harvest, but continue to accumulate even in years when production declines, increasing farmers’ financial risks.
The Unique Nature of Olive Trees
Farmers also pointed to the unique characteristics of olive trees, which make production costs different from those of many other agricultural activities. Olive trees require years of care before reaching fruit-bearing age and need continuous attention and regular agricultural services to maintain productivity.
Farmers, however, cannot guarantee the size of the harvest in advance. Production varies from year to year, and fruit yields may decline in a given season even as expenses remain unchanged or increase.
In Jerash, farmer Nidal Al-Ayasrah said the increase in olive pressing fees represents an additional burden on farmers who bear the costs of maintaining their trees and land throughout the year.
He noted that farmers’ responsibilities do not begin with the harvesting season but involve long periods of care, monitoring and securing the agricultural supplies needed to preserve the trees and their productivity.
Al-Ayasrah said pressing fees come after a series of financial obligations, including workers’ wages, harvesting and transportation costs, purchasing oil containers and other season-related expenses. He stressed that higher pressing fees directly increase the total costs borne by farmers, particularly when production volumes are large.
Farmer Muhannad Al-Barmawi said farmers are facing growing challenges amid rising agricultural production costs, adding that higher olive pressing fees represent another expense on top of their financial obligations, including tree care, land maintenance, labor, harvesting, transportation and packaging.
Al-Barmawi explained that farmers cannot separate pressing fees from the other costs incurred throughout the season. Every stage of production involves specific expenses, beginning with tree care before harvesting, followed by collecting and transporting the fruit, pressing it, and packaging the resulting oil.
He noted that the 10-piaster-per-kilogram increase becomes significant when applied to large quantities, calling for consideration of the burdens faced by landowners.
In Karak, farmer Mohammad Al-Jaafrah, from the Al-Aina area, said farmers were disappointed by the union’s decision to raise olive pressing fees, particularly given their difficult circumstances and the sharp increase in production costs in recent years.
He said farmers had been optimistic about the current season because of abundant rainfall, which helped improve production, but the latest decision has made conditions more difficult and could leave farmers effectively working to cover the cost of olive presses. He added that some presses in Karak have not consistently complied with previous fee increases.
Coordination Among Olive Presses
Mohammad Abu Nassar, owner of an olive press in Al-Rabbeh, said his facility had not complied with previous fee increases, charging around 50 piasters per kilogram while the official pressing fee was around 65 piasters.
He said fees could perhaps be raised to 60 piasters, which would still be below last year’s prices at most presses.
Tayseer Al-Qaraleh, an operator of an olive press in the Ayy District, said the pressing fee could reach around 75 piasters per kilogram under the decision issued by the Olive Press Owners’ Union.
However, he said olive presses in Karak could coordinate to keep fees at last year’s level of around 65 piasters, taking into account farmers’ circumstances and varying financial burdens.
In Irbid, farmer Mohammad Abu Ain said higher olive pressing fees would add to the overall cost of producing olive oil. He expected the increase to be accompanied by higher prices for oil containers, as well as increased labor wages, transportation costs and other expenses associated with the harvesting season.
Abu Ain said rising costs create additional challenges for farmers seeking an adequate return from their crops, as the economic viability of the season depends on production volumes, the amount of oil extracted and the prices at which it can be sold in the market.
An olive press worker who requested anonymity said the fee increase came amid rising operating costs for presses, including labor, energy, maintenance and imported spare parts.
He said the increase was intended to cover part of the growing financial burdens facing olive press owners during the season.
He added that presses face significant operating expenses, particularly during the peak olive season, which requires machinery to remain continuously operational and sufficient labor to receive and process the harvest efficiently.
He stressed the importance of maintaining oil quality and providing farmers with the best possible service.
Meeting Domestic Market Needs
According to estimates for the current season, olive fruit production in Jordan is expected to reach around 210,000 tons, while olive oil production is estimated at approximately 30,000 tons, compared with annual domestic consumption of between 25,000 and 28,000 tons.
These estimates indicate that domestic market needs could be met and a surplus generated, provided expected production levels are achieved and production and marketing conditions remain stable.
A total of 153 licensed olive presses across the Kingdom are preparing to receive the harvest. The start of operations represents a key stage in determining actual production levels, as the quantities of olives delivered to presses become clearer and the extraction process begins, determining the amounts available for consumption, storage and marketing.
Tayseer Al-Najdawi, head of the Olive Press Owners’ Union, attributed the decision to raise pressing fees to accumulated increases in operating expenses, labor costs, maintenance expenses and imported spare parts.
He stressed that the impact of the increase on the final price of an oil container would be very limited.
Al-Najdawi estimated the price of an olive oil container this season at between JD90 and JD110, depending on quality and variety. He urged consumers to wait rather than rush to purchase during the first days after the presses open, advising them to wait for actual production to reach the market to avoid unjustified price exploitation.
Regarding production, he said Jordan is likely to dispense with olive oil imports this year, based on estimates that around 30,000 tons of oil will be produced from approximately 210,000 tons of olives.
He said these quantities are expected to cover domestic consumption, estimated at between 25,000 and 28,000 tons, while leaving a surplus.
Source: Al-Ghad
