The olive harvest in the governorate of Mahdia for the 2023-2024 agricultural season, is estimated at 120 thousand tonnes, equivalent to 24 thousand tonnes of oil.
The local Authority for Agricultural Development announced that the harvest season will run from November 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024.
Governor of Mahdia Abdelfattah Chakchouk called for oil mills to be opened as soon as the harvest season begins, in order to make the season a success and combat uncontrolled olive picking.
He also called for a review of the reference price for oil and an examination of the possibility of granting specific subsidies to farmers, in addition to opening up agricultural tracks and improving safe transport for women farmers.
“The aim is to ensure a smooth harvest and quality olive oil production,” he pointed out.
He added that the dumping of margines would be monitored in collaboration with farmers.
The governorate of Mahdia counts 160 thousand hectares of olive groves, i.e. 65% of the region’s agricultural area, and 5.7 million olive trees, half of which are organic.
Over the last five years, annual olive production reached 100,000 tonnes.
The region has 230 oil mills, including 62 organic and 36 conventional (25 operational), with a processing capacity of 1,630 tonnes per day.
The olive sector provides 2 million working days during the harvest season.
Source: Zawya
