- Title: ALGERIA: Algeria's olive oil farmers seek greater share of world market
- Date: 16th May 2007
- Summary: OLIVE TREE PLANTATION VARIOUS CLOSE UPS OF OLIVES ON TREE (3 SHOTS) OLIVE TREE
- Embargoed: 31st May 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Algeria
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: Industry
- Reuters ID: LVA3QCC44FN0XO68MNSI0KAKAUWW
- Story Text: In Algeria's Kabili region, olives are the mainstay of the local economy, but bush fires last summer and an unusually dry winter mean production levels are seriously affected. Despite these challenges, Algeria's olive farmers feel that the quality of their oil entitles them to a bigger share of the world market.
Each year the harvesting season runs from December to April at the Tavlast olive farm, 180 kilometres east of Algeria's capital Algiers.
At the farm, olive farming is a matter of tradition. For four generations, the men of the region have cut down branches heavy with ripe olives, while the women carefully select the ones that will make the best oil.
"Olive oil is good for your health. Those who drink it never regret it. It makes you stronger and more resistant to disease. If you are sick, olive oil will cure you. It's better than going to see a doctor and taking medicine. Olive oil is our medicine," Menoune Arechdal, a farm worker said.
95% of the world's olive trees grow around the Mediterranean Sea - but European countries currently dominate the industry and Algerian olive farmers feel that the quality of their oil and traditions entitle them to a bigger share of the international olive oil market.
Mouncef Hamimi, Tavlast farm's manager, is working hard to make Tavlast's olive oil better known on the global market. However 2007 has been the worst harvest in living memory.
"We haven't had such a bad harvest in about a century. It's because we didn't have enough rain last year on top of that two years ago the olive trees were damaged by the snow and it's taking time for them to recover. We also had fires that burnt down thousands of trees in the region and destroyed the olive flowers, and then there were thunderstorms in August," Hamimi said.
Bad weather is not the only challenge faced by Algeria's producers. The technology used has changed little since ancient times, with some presses still using horses to drive the mortar. The ripe olives are ground to a paste which is then layered over straw mats and pressed.
The old presses do not produce the same amount of oil as a modern press, but updating them would be a challenge as some olive oil producers believe that the old way is the best way to get good quality oil.
"We are using a manual press so it's natural that this oil is 100% superior and of much better quality than oil produced in a mechanical press. The difference isn't the source of energy used - it's the separation process that separates oil from juice that's difference. I just pray to God to give us more rain and wealth next year," Abdelhamid Ziane said, the owner of a traditional olive press.
The oil produced in Tazmalt is pure and could fetch high prices on the international market.
Unfortunately in Algeria, a lot of good oil is still sold off cheaply on the local bazaars because producers lack the technology to standardise their product - or the marketing skills to promote it.
Despite this Algerian producers remain optimistic that these challenges can be overcome.
Experts agree that the olive oil market still has plenty of growth potential - both in Algeria and across the world. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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