New olive press opens in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar

AL JABAL AL AKHDHAR: A modern olive press was inaugurated on Sunday in the Wilayat of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, at a cost of around RO 40,000, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.
The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Nasser al Bakri, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources for Agriculture.
With a processing capacity of 1.2 tonnes per hour, the press will serve olive growers in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar and nearby wilayats including Al Hamra, Nakhal and Al Rustaq, helping to improve crop utilisation and the quality of Omani olive oil.
Eng Yahya bin Nasser al Riyami, CEO of the press, said the project was launched in response to the growth of olive farming in the wilayat and the need for modern processing lines to help farmers turn their harvest into high‑quality products. The facility uses advanced technology that preserves the oil's natural properties and processes several varieties, including Picual, Claramunt, improved Nepali and Chemlali.
He added that around 70 tonnes of olives are being processed this season, with about 500 farmers expected to benefit from the press's services. The facility has also created some 15 seasonal jobs. Al Riyami said the project is the first phase of a broader plan to expand production, packaging and marketing to strengthen the local product's market presence.
Olive cultivation in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar continues to expand, with an estimated 20,000 trees across 80 acres owned by nearly 700 farmers, producing an annual yield of 600 tonnes of fruit, from which around 90,000 litres of oil are extracted.
Investments in the sector and related land usufruct projects have reached about RO 222,500 across a total area of 110 acres, underscoring the crop's growing economic importance in the wider food security effort. - AFP