Tunisian PM opens olive oil repacking plant

By Joey Aguilar

Food production in Qatar has crossed another milestone with the opening of a plant last week to repack olive oil and distribute more than 28 Tunisian products in the local market.


_{Tunisian and Qatari dignitaries at the opening ceremony.}

Tunisian Prime Minister Al Habib Essid officially inaugurated the new facility at the New Industrial Area in the presence of guests and officials from Qatar and Tunisia.

The Qatar Tunisian Food Company, owned 51% by Mahaseel (a subsidiary of Hassad Food) and 49% by a number of Tunisian companies, has a production capacity of 1,000 tonnes of olive oil annually.

Prime Minister Essid, who was joined by Hassad Food Board of Director and CEO Khalid Mubarak al-Delaimi at the opening, cited the close ties and co-operation between Qatar and Tunisia in all fields.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, he thanked Qatar for funding a special project in his country which started two years ago and now has been benefiting many Tunisians, especially the youth.

The visiting Prime Minister, as well as guests, were taken on a tour of the facility to see how olive oil is processed and how it undergoes different stages of production: from receiving olive oil, storing it in controlled temperature, and then passing through the filtration process. Finally, the product will be packed in special glass bottles that come in different sizes.

The product is tested several times at different stages in the laboratory to ensure the consumer gets the highest quality.

“This expansion will help us to export products to various GCC countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE and we hope to cover others such as Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman,” al-Delaimi noted.

He added that the facility would also help them in bringing better materials and products from Tunisia such as tuna which is already in the Qatar market.

In a press statement, Hassad Food chairman and managing director Nasser Mohamed al-Hajri expressed confidence that QT’s new plant will help supply more olive oil to the market. "The opening of QT’s new plant is a step forward in the field of food packing in Qatar, as it will surely contribute to meeting the need of from olive oil in the market."

He also echoed the statement of the Tunisian Prime Minister saying that his presence at the opening ceremony demonstrated the strong relationship between the two countries.

Hassad Food noted that QT’s operations has expanded and it has started exporting its products to other GCC countries. The company is planning to take its products to European and Asian markets by 2017.

Founded in 2000, QT is one of the leading companies in packing and exporting olive oil in the GCC.

[Source: Gulf Times]

Categories: News, Olive, Qatar, Tunisia

Happy 3 Years Anniversary

December 12, 2012 - 2015.
Keep living, keep kicking, keep #gOlive.

Categories: Flickr, News, Olive, Personal, Photography

Feral olive trees removed

Efforts are continuing to clear feral olive trees which have infested many parts of the Indigo Shire.

Almost all of the tress have been removed along roads in the Rutherglen and Chiltern areas as part of a three-year program to re-establish native plants in the region.

Feral olive trees often carry diseases and pests such as the olive fly.

Arborist Andrew Ollington says the young olive trees were the most difficult to detect.

"The little ones, we've just got to pretty much get down on our hand and knees and crawl through under all the other trees and cut them out and poison them," he said.

"We had to get them done before the fruit came on them - that's when they get spread."

• Olive: Friend or Foe?

[Source: ABC News]

Categories: Australia, News, Olive

Has the Italian Mafia Sold You Fake Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Barbie Latza Nadeau

Seven of Italy’s top olive oil companies have been accused of selling some sullied extra-virgin olive oil, and it may be the result of the far-reaching agro-mafia.



ROME — Think about the last time you had really, really good extra-virgin olive oil. The kind of pungent oil that tickles the back of the throat and drips like green liquid gold from your crusty bread or lettuce leaves. You probably paid a small fortune for it. Sadly, if it was from Italy, it might not have been as virgin as you think.

This week, Italian prosecutors in Turin opened a criminal investigation into seven of the country’s top olive oil export companies: Carapelli, Bertolli, Santa Sabina, Coricelli, Sasso, Primadonna, and Antica Badia for allegedly cutting the good stuff with less precious oil.

After an Italian food blog broke the news that expensive oil being passed off as extra-virgin might be stained last May, Italian agriculture and customs started doing their own tests and found that in nine out of every 20 bottles these producers sold in country or exported out were tainted. Italy is the second largest olive oil producer in the world after Spain. But Italy is also the world’s largest importer of olive oils from Tunisia, Morocco, Greece, and Spain. They also import canola and soybean oil from abroad. Many producers happily admit to using the imported oil as a base for their lesser-quality and industrial oils, stating exactly where the oil originated in often miniscule print on the labels. And there is nothing illegal at all about it.



The problem—read fraud—comes from the fact that the companies under investigation are accused of importing canola and even soybean oil to mix into their expensive oil sold as extra-virgin. By law, extra-virgin has an acidity of no more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams of oil, and it must be made from the first press of the olives, which, if up to standards, commands a price tag that is often up to 35 percent more than other oil. If not, it should sell for much less—and say so on the label.



All of the Italian olive companies under criminal investigation deny any wrong-doing, citing faulty testing. Many have launched counterattacks, accusing authorities of fraud, which, in Italy, is not always a long shot. What’s troubling is that farmers and olive oil producers at the center of the investigation are being accused of cooperating with the so-called agro-mafia which is a catchall label often used in Italy for fraudulent behavior and corruption in the agriculture sector, which may or may not have anything to do with the country’s established organized crime syndicates. But it often does, and many organized crime syndicates’ tentacles reach into every facet of Italian life and livelihood.



“It is often difficult to understand the economic impact of agro-mafia but those who produce olive oil are increasingly in the crosshairs of professional counterfeiters,” says Domenico Pautasso, director of Italy’s national agriculture association Coldiretti. “The turnover of the agro-mafia exceeds €15.5 billion, and the entire system of false ‘made in Italy’ products exceeds €60 billion a year.”



In fact, the Italian Confederation of Agriculture estimates that there are 240 agro-mafia offenses every single day in the agriculture sector. That breaks down to eight crimes every hour, according to a report called “Agromafia” published last year. The report states that more than 350,000 farmers and producers are involved in the widespread fraud, that runs the gamut from faulty pasta to counterfeit cheeses and hams. Some of the farmers and producers are victims who sell their authentic products to producers who compromise their integrity for higher profits; others are knee-deep in the quagmire of corruption.



The Confederation of Agriculture estimates that of the illicit industry’s profits, some €4.5 billion is generated from blatant theft and robbery of authentic products from fields and warehouses. An estimated €3.5 billion of the dirty revenue comes from racketeering, and around €3 billion is generated from counterfeiting of the “made in Italy” brands.

Italian anti-mafia and anti-corruption authorities work tirelessly to try to stop the widespread practice that has been identified in every single province in Italy in one sector or another. In 2014, they confiscated more than 12,000 properties, including farmland and production facilities. “The presence of organized crime affects the entire system, from production to distribution,” says Pino Cornacchia, Head of the Confederation of Agriculture’s Campania Economic Development Department. “It is also a massive deterrent to all young people otherwise keen to invest in the primary sector.”

It is not the first time Italian olive oil has been tainted by scandal. In 2011, New York Times contributor Tom Mueller laid out the scandal in his book, Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil in which he reported that more than 50 percent of all olive oil imported into the United States is adulterated with lesser oils. “In the past, the technology that had been used had been used really by the Romans,” Mueller writes. “You grounded the olives with stone mills and you crushed them with presses.”

Everything has apparently been downhill since then.

So what is a lover of olive oil to do? “For those who buy it is important to pay attention to the label,” Alberto Martorelli of Coldiretti told The Daily Beast. “Make sure you only buy oil made with 100 percent olive oil produced and bottled in Italy if you want authenticity. And make sure it passes the smell test. It should smell and taste like raw olives.”

Related:
Italian olive oil scandal: seven top brands 'sold fake extra-virgin'

Extra virgin on the ridiculous: Italian olive oil producers accused of fraud

Italy's slippery 'extra virgin' olive oil scandal

[Source: The Daily Beast]

Categories: Italy, News, Olive

Olive farmers hoping for sunny days to harvest better yield

By Omar Obeidat

IRBID — Farmers in the Kingdom’s northern region are hoping for more sunny days so they can harvest their olives.

The farmers told The Jordan Times they have been unable to properly reap their olive fruits over the past three weeks, because of heavy rain, although the harvesting season started in mid-October.

Sami Obeidat, who was at an olive press in the village of Hibras in Irbid, said the later the harvest, the worse the quality of olive oil is.

According to Obeidat, November is the best period to harvest olives because they are riper and have higher oil concentrations.



But if harvesting lasts until the second half of December, the fruits are affected by rainwater, which ultimately affects the quality of oil, lowering its concentration, he explained.

The same concerns were echoed by Mohammad Bsharat, who owns an olive press, and Ahmad Malkwai, an olive farm owner in Irbid’s Kfarat area.

“We love rain and we always pray for rainfall,” Malkwai said, but farmers are racing against time to have their crops harvested before December as the weather is expected to become harsher.

Usually the harvest season runs from October 15 to January 20.

Bsharat noted that rainfall over the past three weeks disrupted the process, with only limited quantities of olives transferred to presses.

Farmers have only been able to harvest some olives because it has been dry for almost a week now, he added.

The price of a 16-kilogramme container of oil in Kfarat, home to hundreds of thousands of olive trees, ranges between JD80 and JD85.

Demand for oil is higher than last year and production is expected to be greater, Bsharat said.

Olive oil production this year is expected to be around 24,000 tonnes, while it was estimated at 22,835 tonnes last year, according to official figures.

With more than 20 million trees across the Kingdom, Jordan is listed among the top 10 olive producing countries in the world.

[Source: The Jordan Times]

Categories: Jordan, News, Olive

Soldiers, Paramilitary Settlers, Attack Family Picking Olives In Their Own Orchard

On Sunday, Israeli soldiers and paramilitary guards of an illegal Israeli colony invaded a Palestinian olive orchard in Beit Ummar town, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, attacked the family and forcibly removed them from their own land.

Media spokesperson of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Beit Ummar town, Mohammad Ayyad Awad, said paramilitary settlers of the Beit Ayin illegal colony, built on Palestinian lands, and Israeli soldiers, invaded an olive orchard before attacking and removing Hammad Abdul-Hamid Sleibi and his family from their land.

The orchard is located in Wad Abu ar-Reesh, north of Beit Ummar, close to the illegal colony that was built on privately-owned Palestinian lands.

The security guards attacked the Palestinians and chased them while threatening to shoot them with their automatic rifles, while the soldiers fired gas bombs and concussion grenades on the family, forcing them out of their own olive orchard.

On Sunday evening, eight Palestinians, including a cameraman working for France Press, have been injured, by Israeli army fire, after several military vehicles invaded the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia.

Also on Sunday, Palestinian medical sources reported Sunday that a 2-year-old toddler was injured after an Israeli military vehicle struck him in Bir Niabala town, in the Central West Bank district of Ramallah, and that a woman was injured in a similar incident in Ramallah.

In addition, six residents were injured by Israeli army fire after the soldiers invaded al-Baloa’ area in the al-Biereh city, leading to clashes with scores of local youths.

[Soource: IMEMC]

Categories: News, Olive, Palestin

Jacqueline Fernandez's extreme olive obsession

We know actors like to snack on fruit but Jacqueline Fernandes' obsession with olives led her to do rather strange things.

During the shoot of her film with Ramesh Taurani in Turkey, the actress went gaga over munching on olives.

A source from the sets says, "Jackie loved olives so much that she would gorge on them every day. In fact even after she returned to India, her habit wouldn't go. She also demanded that her producers purchase the fruit for her on a daily basis."

Creative producer of the film Jay Shewakramani says, "It was around 8.30 in the morning when Jaggu (his nickname for the actress) called me and said she wants olives or she would not leave the room. We were supposed to shoot for a song in the studio and she was getting ready. We made a couple of calls and made sure the olives reached her on time." So much so that the actress even wanted the fruits to adorn the sets while she shot with co-star Saif Ali Khan.

[Source: NDTV Movies]

Categories: India, News, Olive

Olive oil prices set to zoom as drought looms over Spain

By Vishwanath Kulkarni

Olive oil aficionados are in for a price shock. Hit by drought, Spain, the largest olive producer, has slashed the crop by about half.

As a result, prices of olive oil have firmed up by over 50 per cent in the past six months forcing the importers here to pass on the cost hike to consumers.



Besides, a weaker rupee against the Euro has further exerted pressure on the importers here.

Some brands, such as Leonardo and Borges, have partially hiked prices in past few months, attributing it to the weaker currency. However, a bigger price hike is in the offing.

“There is tremendous pressure on companies to pass on the costs. Prices could go up by about 60 per cent by March as we don’t have any choice,” said V.N. Dalmia, President, Indian Olive Association.

Spain, which produces 1.4-1.5 million tonnes of olive oil annually, is expected to produce between 600,000 and 700,000 tonnes, down by over 50 per cent. Spain is the largest exporter of olive oil to India, accounting more than half of the latter’s imports. As the total production of olive oil in the world is only about 3 million tonnes, a loss of 700,000–800,000 tonnes is significant, Dalmia said.

Apart from the rise in raw material price, the costs of processing and transportation have also gone up, compelling the importers hike prices.
Input costs

The price of raw material traded on commodity exchanges in Italy and Spain have gone up by an average of 50 per cent over past six months.

Dalmia said the price hike could stunt incremental growth in olive oil consumption in India, where rising affordability, health benefits and increased exposure to Western life styles were aiding the trend. Despite the recent hike in prices, India’s olive oil imports were up 64 per cent for the April-September 2012 period at 4,527 tonnes against 2,627 tonnes in the corresponding period last year.

[Source: The Hindu Business Line]

Categories: India, News, Olive

Saratoga Olive Oil Co. garners honors

The Olive Oil Times has named Saratoga Olive Oil Co. in Saratoga Springs one of five olive oil shops with a great selection.



“This shop prides itself on educating the public about olive oil. Presented with an impressive variety of olive oils from around the world, the customer is encouraged to taste different styles before purchasing,” Denise Johnson, Olive Oil Times contributor, wrote. “The shop is adorned with beautiful thoroughbred racetrack paintings to reflect the history of Saratoga.”



The other four stores Johnson reviewed are in New York City, France and Spain, making the family-owned Saratoga shop honored internationally.

Owned and operated by Clint, Barbara and Chad Braidwood, the Broadway store offers flavored olive oils, gourmet oils, white and red balsamic condimento vinegars, sea salts, local bread and crackers and beauty products.

Find out more about the shop at www.saratogaoliveoil.com.

[Source: The Saratogian]

Categories: News, Olive, USA

Goodbye 2013

Thank you for a year filled with meaningful & eventful #gOlive experience. We'll miss you forever :|


[More picture like this: HERE]

Categories: Event, News

Haze please go away!

#MYHaze - Unhealthy condition cause by ignorance, illiterate and some say greedy neighbours.


[More picture like this: HERE]

Categories: Flickr, News, Photography

Spotlight on Local Businesses: We Olive La Jolla

By Marti Gacioch

Olive oil is just the tip of the tapas at We Olive’s this holiday season. On Thursday, Dec. 20, from 4 to 8 p.m., visitors can slow their shopping pace a bit by dropping into We Olive’s “Sip and Shop” event for olive oil and wine tastings, along with complimentary gourmet tapas at 1158 Prospect St.

We olive has a 40-seat, ocean-view patio wine bar that overlooks La Jolla cove.

“The event is designed to take the stress out of holiday shopping by offering guests a chance to sip wine and taste tapas in a relaxed, fun environment with nice music while they shop,” said Chris Swain, general manager.

We Olive features all-California wines, extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, gourmet foods and seasonings that guests can sample while they relax at the 40-seat, ocean-view patio wine bar overlooking the Cove.

According to Swain, olives are traditionally grown in wine-producing regions, so We Olive works with farmers in the Central Coast, Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, and the company represents a few dozen artisan olive oils at any given time.

“Olive oils offer a vast array of aromas and flavors to choose from, and we look for a nice balance between fresh fruity aroma, pungency (a peppery kick that comes from olive oil) and the natural bitterness coming from olives,” Swain said.

A visit to We Olive makes for a learning experience. “We educate our guests about the health benefits of olive oil, which include helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation,” Swain said. “Olive oil is packed with antioxidants and polyphenols.”

We Olive’s knowledgeable staff of 12 walks customers through a tasting to help them find an olive oil they’ll love.

“Our staff is culinary school grads, inspiring sommeliers and food stylists, who create all the food in the store, including cheese plates, salads, spreads and charcuterie,” Swain said. “So if you’re a foodie or a gourmet, you’re immediately immersed in an environment of like-minded people.”

We Olive offers California wines from small estates and family producers. Three dozen wines are featured and 30 of them are offered by the half glass, full glass, or by the case at retail prices designed to be affordable.

“Our staff handpicks all the wines and helps guide our guests through the list to help them find the right wine for a dinner,” Swain said.

We Olive recently opened a new kiosk at UTC’s Westfield Mall that showcases olive oils, balsamic vinegars and other holiday gifts.

— We Olive, 1158 Prospect St. in La Jolla, is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy Hour runs 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Free Foodie Friday is 6-8 p.m. (858) 551-8250. http://lajolla.weolive.com

[Source: La Jolla Light]

Categories: News, Olive, USA

Settlers, Palestinians clash after olive tree attack

Israeli soldiers on Saturday were trying to break up clashes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers in the northern West Bank town of Qusra.


Palestinian protestors throw stones at Israeli soldiers in the northern village of Qusra. Israeli soldiers on Saturday were trying to break up clashes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers in the northern West Bank town of Qusra.

Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses said settlers used the cover of fog to approach the town south of Nablus with the aim of uprooting dozens of olive saplings, but were confronted by farmers who threw stones at them.

Settlers from the nearby Esh Kodesh outpost and Qusra residents also clashed and threw stones at each other on Tuesday, when the Palestinians blamed the settlers for uprooting and damaging olive trees.

The Palestinians said saplings uprooted on Saturday were planted following Tuesday's incident.

A spokeswoman for the army confirmed that "there is a confrontation near Esh Kodesh, including mutual stone-throwing."

"Soldiers arrived at the scene and are currently responding with riot dispersal means," she added, noting there were reports of a lightly wounded Israeli civilian. The Palestinians said some villagers were injured by tear gas.

The Esh Kodesh settlers had said on Tuesday they would block Palestinians from working in fields near the outpost. Both sides claim ownership of the land.

[Source: AFP via France 24]

Related:

• Settlers suspected of vandalising Palestinian olive trees
• Palestinians: Settlers uprooted olives

Categories: News, Olive, Palestin

Oil and Vinegar Store Opens in Downtown

Husband and wife, Joe and Sherry Morgan, have found success with their new business, Northfield Olive Oils and Vinegars.

By Ashley R. Tanberg

Within hours of opening Northfield Olive Oils and Vinegars on Dec. 22, Joe and Sherry Morgan knew they may have hit on something.

By 1 p.m., customers were standing from wall to wall in Northfield's most recent "mom and pop" store, located at 18 Bridge Sq. near the Northfield Historical Society.

The Morgans have wanted to open a small shop in Northfield for quite some time, toying with the idea of a guitar shop or a sandwich shop. With a unique niche and health-consciousness in mind, the Morgans have found steady business in the New Year thus far.

Charismatic and knowledgeable, Joe Morgan offers his expertise in making health-conscious and tasteful decisions as customers tour a sample of tasty treats in shop. Who knew traditional balsamic vinegar was the perfect touch to a scoop of Hogan Brothers' ice cream?




Northfield Olive Oils and Vinegars.Credit AshleyR.Tanberg





Customers can sample any product from the stainless steel dispensaries before having it freshly bottled to your liking. Bottling options include the 60 ml gift size, the 300 ml standard size and a 700 ml bottle.

Think fresh and start this year's cooking off anew with the Morgans' flavorful olive oils and vinegars.

NEED TO KNOW
HOURS: 11-7 p.m. Mon-Fri (tentative), 10-7 p.m. Sat-Sun
PHONE: (507) 645-4008
WEB: www.northfieldoliveoilsandvinegars.com
FACEBOOK: Northfield Olive Oils and Vinegars

Ashley R. Tanberg is an intern for the Northfield Enterprise Center and Northfield Patch.

Categories: News, Olive, USA

Golden branch casts its spell

By THO XIN YI

THIS Christmas, the Golden Branch is casting its spell at all L’Occitane stores.



Bedecking almost every corner of the stores, the olive plant also finds a comfortable spot in the skin care and body care products offered at the French outlet.

L’Occitane South-East Asia general manager Tonguy de Buchet introduced the limited edition of the Golden Branch range recently at L’Occitane KLCC.

“In tradition, olive tree logs are burnt during Christmas until New Year, and its smell perfumes the entire house.

Wide range: There are 25 limited edition Christmas gift sets available at L’Occitane this Christmas.

“The logs become golden after going through the fire, hence the name Golden Branch,” he said.

“The legend in Provence — where L’Occitane’s founder Olivier Baussan came from — has it that if the Golden Branch is carried around the house three times, everyone’s dreams will come true,” he added.

The Golden Branch range consists of shower cream, luminous body cream, body lotion, soap, scented candle and home fragrance diffuser.

Besides making great gifts for loved ones during this festive season, they are also perfect for one to pamper himself or herself after a year of hard work.

There are altogether 25 limited edition Christmas gift sets offering different kinds of products from assorted ranges. Price starts from RM99.

Nice: The Fragrance Diffuser with Golden Branch scent.

These delicate sets include Hand Cream Trios, Shea Butter Essentials, For Hands & Feet, The Relaxing Scent of Lavender, Bath Celebration Gift Set, Mini Pomander and more.

Further extending the Golden Branch and Christmas themes is the beautiful red and green gift boxes with images of a pair of father and son picking olives from the trees.

The L’Occitane stores in Malaysia have also recently undergone a facelift and Buchet revealed the concept behind the new display.

“This Green House concept features the structure of glass and metal, which is usually built to protect the plants and flowers from the extreme conditions,” he said, gesturing at the new racks in the outlet.

“Once entering L’Occitane, you are protected from the harsh world. Soft music is played in the background and scented candles are lighted. Feel free to walk around and use the testers, like you are taking a leisure walk,” he said.

The overall presentation exudes calm and serenity in a marketplace setting.

“Our latest promotions — like the freshest harvest and produce — are displayed right at the entrance.

“Made of natural ingredients, our products are good value for money,” Buchet said.

[Source: The Star]

Categories: Malaysia, News, Olive

Hundreds of Palestinian olive trees vandalized by Israeli settlers

More than 870 trees were vandalized in the first week of the harvest in the West Bank.

By Stacey Leasca

More than 870 trees were vandalized in the first week of the harvest in the West Bank, according to a report by the United Nations.

The vandals behind the attacks are reportedly Israeli settlers.


A Palestinian woman shows the damage of one of her old roman olive trees in the village of Qarut, that was allegedly set on fire by Israeli settlers from the neighbouring Jewish settlement of Eli, near the West Bank town of Nablus, on October 13, 2012. AFP/Getty Images

“These acts are reprehensible and I call on the Government of Israel to bring those responsible to justice,” the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, said in a statement. “Israel must live up to its commitments under international law to protect Palestinians and their property in the occupied territory so that the olive harvest – a crucial component of Palestinian livelihoods and the Palestinian economy – can proceed unhindered and in peace."

The Guardian also noted that settlers may launching attacks under the protection of the Israeli military according to Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's executive committee.

Yesh Din, Israeli human rights group, says it has logged 35 attacks targeting olive trees, grapevines and other fruit trees between September 2011 and July 2012, according to the Middle East Monitor. The group also said that in 99 percent of cases the police have closed their investigations for lack of evidence.

In a statement the group said, "The police failure to enforce the law and protect Palestinian property encourages the criminals who go unpunished and are not deterred from repeating their actions."

But Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld combated these allegations, telling AFP that the report's results are "inaccurate and out of date", adding that "the police have stepped up activity, particularly over the past few weeks, in dealing with the incidents which have been taking place."

Since the beginning of this year, 7,180 Palestinian-owned trees have been vandalized by settlers, said the Guardian noting a memo from the UN's office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs. Last year about 10,000 trees were vandalized or uprooted.

[Source: GlobalPost]

Categories: News, Palestin

4m olive saplings to be planted in KP

PESHAWAR, Dec 14: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Agriculture Arbab Ayub Jan has said that four million olive saplings would be planted in the province in order to get self-sufficiency in cooking oil.


Picture: Olive Oil Pakistan

Speaking to a group of farmers at his residence here on Friday, he said that olive saplings would be distributed in different suitable areas of the province so as to get its produce in minimum time. He said that the government had launched Rs500 million mechanised farming plan to bring agriculture revolution. He said that problems like poverty, lawlessness and unemployment could be overcome with agricultural development, as Pakistan could grow different crops, fruits and vegetables round the year.

Mr Jan said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had initiated its 10-year agriculture plan ahead of other provinces, which would enable the province to get self-sufficiency in wheat crop. He said that the government was also focusing on cultivation of new fruit orchards.

He said that exports of fruits would be enhanced and new cold storages would be established besides installation of plants for grading and polishing of fruits.

He said that the government had already established two cold storages in Swat at a cost of Rs360 million with the financial support of Italy. The provincial government, he said, had also planned to increase production of off season vegetables and other crops in Kalam, Madyan, Bahrain, Matta, Sakhra, Chail areas of Swat district, Kaghan, Naran and Chatarplain of Hazara division. The minister claimed that the government had planned many new schemes in the province, but militancy was the main hurdle to their implementation. — Bureau Report

[Source: Dawn.com]

Categories: News, Olive, Pakistan

‘Sibu’ olive in high demand

SIBU: Sibu is heaven for fruit-lovers, especially in the months of November and December. We are talking about the annual exodus of a wide variety of exotic fruits from Sibu and its surrounding areas, particularly from the rural towns of Kanowit, Song and Kapit.

Every day tons of fruits are sent to Sibu only to be quickly snapped up by its fruit-loving populace.

Truckloads of these exotic fruits also find their way to Kuching, Bintulu, Mukah, Miri and across the border to Brunei.

The frenzy continues for as long as three months, until January next year.

During this period, rural farmers could make substantial income from the sales of fruits grown on their farms.

Thunderous cries from fruit vendors shouting “durian, durian…dua ringgit dua ringgit …dabai dabai…empat ringgit, empat ringgit” (durian for RM2 and dabai for RM4) echo through markets and temporary roadside stalls daily.

The second fruit being hollered out may not be as well known as durian, but it equals the king of fruits in popularity. Dabai (canarium odoutophyllum miq) is endemic to the region and commonly referred to as “Sibu olive.”

It was previously limited to only a few areas in Sibu, Sarikei and Kapit divisions of Sarawak but due to booming demand, it is now widely grown.

It has earned itself the reputation as “Sarawak’s speciality fruit.”

“Once you start eating good dabai, you just get carried away and can’t stop,” said Johnny Ngu who loves the fruit.

Although the creamy-fleshed pips are small, they are very filling. A fruit generally contains 10 to 15 pips, each roughly the size of an average male thumb.

Ngu said the fruit made good gifts, especially for visitors from outside dabai-growing areas.

“A kilo of dabai here costs RM10 to RM15 but in Kuching, for example, it will cost double,” Ngu explained.

The dabai is a signature dish at some official functions in the major towns of Sarawak.

The trees are stout, averaging 10 to 15m with a lifespan of 50 years. They are usually grown between other fruit trees in orchards.

It takes at least five years for a dabai tree to flower and bear fruits. A good harvest from a matured tree can be as much as 50 to 80kg once a year.

The most common way of preparing dabais for consumption is to soak them in warm water for about 10 to 15 minutes.

They can be eaten once they soften, and taste best dipped in soy sauce mixed with a little bit of sugar.

In some rural areas, the natives also eat dabais with a dash of salt after leaving them to soften in the scorching sun for 15 to 20 minutes.

Dabai seeds are also edible after cracking the hard shells. They taste like peanuts.

Over the years, the state Agriculture Department has carried out research to improve the fruit quality and prolong its shelf life.

Using a freezing technique, the highly perishable fruit can now retain its freshness for a week and can even last a whole year when kept refrigerated.
[Source: The Star]

Categories: Malaysia, News

World of oil flavors opens up in GN Plaza

Oilicious specialty store stocks 48 oils, vinegars

There’s more to olive oil than meets the eye, and Charles Romoff wants to spread the word.

Romoff and his partner Betty Farber are the owners of the Great Neck Plaza boutique Oilicious, which bottles 48 varieties of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar in-house and sells them to curious foodies and gift-givers across the peninsula.

Oilicious owners Charles Romoff and Betty Farber opened their specialty foods boutique in September.

There’s a lot to learn in the Grace Avenue shop, with its metal tubs of oil suspended over stained wood furniture and dispensing a diverse array of extra virgins - plain, gourmet and flavor infused, in mild, moderate and robust flavor profiles.

“No two are the same. They’re all different,” said Romoff. “It’s almost like a fine bottle of wine.”

The store, which opened in September, encourages sampling. Romoff said allowing customers to experiment with varieties like wild mushroom and sage or tuscan herb olive oils is important part of how the business is run.

“When you come in here, you’re tasting,” Romoff said. “It’s really our mission that when somebody comes in here, they’re satisfied.”

In addition to oils and vinegars, Oilicious stocks other specialty foods, including bruschetta toast, tapenade spreads and sea salts with names like Spanish Rosemary and Himalayan Pink.

Romoff also encourages what he calls “pairings” - mixtures of oils and vinegars that take advantage of complementary flavors.

One such pairing, a sweet, acidic mixture of basil olive oil and peach balsalmic vinegar, was the creation of a customer - a habit Romoff said he encourages.

“This particular pairing was created by a dentist from Little Neck,” he said.

The idea for the store came to Romoff after he visited other specialty oil shops on Long Island and saw a niche to be filled in Great Neck.

“I walked in and I said, ‘what a great business,’” Romoff said.

Romoff, a Northeastern University graduate and Dix Hills resident, owned a bagel shop before opening Oilicious. Farber, his co-partner, lives in West Islip.

Romoff said Great Neck has a health-conscious population and upscale sensibility that made it a natural fit for his business.

And as Romoff and Farber conclude their first holiday season in business, they are pleased and surprised by the reception Oilicious has received.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” said Romoff. “The word is somehow on the street that we exist and we have a nice product.”

Romoff said the oil is shipped wholesale from a distributor in California, and is bottled by hand at the store.

And according to Romoff, the personal service and health benefits of extra virgin olive oil separate his store from an ordinary supermarket.

“This is not a supermarket product,” he said. “This is a unique item.”

[Source: The Island Now]

Categories: News, Olive, USA

Olive cultivation to be promoted across country

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 - Sialkot—A well-knitted plan has been prepared for the promotion of Olive cultivation in the country and Azad Kashmir. Overall demand of olive oil is 1.9 million tone of which 1.3 million tone was being imported from different countries for catering the domestic needs and requirements costing Rs.28 billion annually.

Special attention would be focused on the promotion of Olive cultivation and necessary information and guidance are being extended to Olive growers in Balochistan. Olive model farms are playing instrumental role in cultivation of Olive crop in various parts and a large number of cultivators showing their keen interest in Olive crop in the Province. In Punjab, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal and Khushab districts are the potential areas for Olive cultivation.

[Source: Pakistan Observer]

Categories: News, Olive, Pakistan