Olive oil production rises in 2012 in Palestine

The quantity of oil extracted in the Palestinian Territory in 2012 rose by 10.6% compared with 2011 to reach 22,951 tons, a report by the Palestinian Central of Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Sunday. The total quantity of olives pressed in 2012 was 104,763 tons; of which 32.3% were located in Jenin governorate and 12.7% in Tulkarm governorate, said PCBS. While the value added of olive pressing activities in 2011 totaled $7 million, it totaled $6.5 million in 2012 while intermediate consumption and output of olive presses totaled $2.6 and $9.1 million respectively. A total of 279 olive presses were operating in the Palestinian Territory, of which 246 were fully automatic presses and 33 were half automatic and traditional presses, added PCBS. The results show that 1,220 persons participated in olive pressing activities in 2012, of which 73.0% were waged employees with compensation totaling $1 million dollars.