International fair on olive tree opens in Marrakesh
Regional-Morocco, Economics, 3/10/2000

An international fair on olive tree "Olea 2000" opened Thursday in Marrakesh with the participation of some sixty companies from France, Italy, Morocco and Spain.

The four-day fair is meant to publicize potentials of the central Moroccan region of Tensift and to explore partnership opportunities between Moroccan and foreign operators.

It also provides opportunity for producers to learn about new techniques to improve output and the quality of olives and to promote olive oil consumption.

Round tables on olive oil and health, the marketing of olive oil and quality and environment are also featured.

A team of Moroccan searchers announced during the opening of the fair that they have developed two new varieties of olive trees that adapt best to climatic conditions and to the soils in Morocco and that resist better to some diseases.

Olive groves in Morocco cover a surface area of 500,000 hectares and ensure an annual average production of 560,000 tons of olives, i.e. 5 % of world production.

Morocco holds the 6th rank regarding both the size of olive grove-growing area and olive production behind Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Turkey and Greece.

Morocco is also the second largest olive exporter in the world with 70,000 Tons, behind Spain.

A study conducted recently by the international olive growing council showed clearly that Morocco is the only country in the world that can still increase the areas covered with olive grove.

Actually, the olive grove area in Morocco will be two folds larger to reach more than 1 million hectares by year 2010. This extension will be coupled with incentives to all operators from farmers to oil producers. According to estimates, olive production by 2010 will increase by 268 % to reach 1.77 million tons ("268 %) while that of olive oil will jump by 468% with 273,000 tons.

However, presently, productivity remains low as it does not exceed 0.5 ton per hectare in dry areas and 1.5 ton in irrigated lands. Olive oil consumption at the national scale is equally very low and stands at about 2 liters per inhabitant per year compared to 18 liters in Greece.

The sector generates about 55,000 jobs per year and supplies olives to the 260 modern olive grinding units, to the 16,000 traditional grinding units and to some 50 olive canning plants.

Previous Stories:
  An increase in Tunis' exports of olive oil   (1/7/2000)
  Mediterranean olive oil producing cities request EU backing   (10/5/1999)
  Eight Moroccan companies in U.S. fancy food and confection show   (7/14/1999)
  Palestinians want to benefit from Morocco's agricultural experience   (3/16/1999)
  A study on the Syrian economy   (1/20/1999)

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