Olive cultivation in Palestine
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Olive trees are the main agricultural crops in the Palestinian territories, where they are mostly grown to produce olive oil. It is estimated that olive production represents 57% of the cultivated land in the occupied Palestinian territories and there were 7.8 million olive trees bearing fruit in 2011.[1] In 2014, an estimated 108,000 tons of olives were pressed which produced 24,700 tons of olive oil which contributed $10,900,000.[2] There are about 100,000 families that depend on olives for their basic income.[3]
History change
The cultivation of olive trees began in the region thousands of years ago, as finds dating back to the Copper Age were found indicating many olive groves and pressing methods for producing oil, specifically between 3600 BC and 3300 BC.[4][5] Olives became a trade commodity in the Bronze Age, as the shipwreck of Uluburun (Arabic: سفينة أولوبورون), which was found off the Turkish coast, is believed to have carried olives brought from Palestine.[5]
National pride change
The olive tree is viewed by many Palestinians as a symbol of nationalism and the tree's connection to the Palestinian land, especially because of its slow growth and longevity.[6]
Settler violence change
The destruction of Palestinian olive trees has become a feature of the Israel–Palestine conflict, with regular reports of damage by Israeli settlers.[7]
Culture change
Olive trees are a major component of traditional Palestinian agricultural life, with several generations of families picking olives together for two months starting in mid-September.[8][8] The harvest season is often associated with the celebration of these families, as these celebrations are organized with traditional Palestinian folk music and dancing.[8] All family members participate in the olive picking season. In recent years, the Ministry of Education and universities sometimes give students special vacations for their families to participate in the olive picking season. The customs of the Palestinian families differ during the olive picking season in many ways, especially with regard to food preparation, where canned food is relied on because women are busy picking olives.[9]
Production change
| Location | Total olives/ton | Total pressing of olive oil/ton | Total value added /million dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palestine | 108,379.1 | 24,758.2 | 10.9 |
| West Bank | 88,356.4 | 21,241.5 | 9.1 |
| Gaza strip | 20,022.6 | 3,517.0 | 1.8 |
Image Gallery change
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Plowing olive trees in the southern West Bank -
Grafting olive trees with pen to obtain a good variety. -
Grafting olive trees with good varieties to obtain better production. -
Pruning rejuvenation of large olive trees.
Related pages change
References change
- ↑ The Besieged Palestinian Agricultural Sector (PDF). United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - UNCTAD. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 يناير 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help) - ↑ "Main Economic Indicators for Olive Presses Activity in Palestine by Governorate, 2014". Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. مؤرشف من الأصل في 2017-10-05. اطلع عليه بتاريخ 2016-03-21. - ↑ Lodolini, E.M.; Ali, S.; Mutawea, M.; Qutub, M.; Arabasi, T.; Pierini, F.; Neri, D. (2014). "Complementary irrigation for sustainable production in olive groves in Palestine". Agricultural Water Management. 134: 104–109. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2013.12.006. ISSN 0378-3774.
- ↑ Liphschitz, Nili; Gophna, Ram; Hartman, Moshe; Biger, Gideon (1991). "The beginning of olive (olea europaea) cultivation in the old world: A reassessment". Journal of Archaeological Science. 18 (4): 441–453. doi:10.1016/0305-4403(91)90037-P. ISSN 0305-4403.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kaniewski, David; Van Campo, Elise; Boiy, Tom; Terral, Jean-Frédéric; Khadari, BouchaÏb; Besnard, Guillaume (2012). "Primary domestication and early uses of the emblematic olive tree: palaeobotanical, historical and molecular evidence from the Middle East". Biological Reviews. 87 (4): 885–899. doi:10.1111/j.1469-185X.2012.00229.x. ISSN 1464-7931.
- ↑ Barbara Rose Johnston; Lisa Hiwasaki; Irene J. Klaver. Water, Cultural Diversity, and Global Environmental Change: Emerging Trends, Sustainable Futures?. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 496. ISBN 978-94-007-1773-2. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020.
- ↑ Bowen, Jeremy (2014). "Israel and the Palestinians: A conflict viewed through olives". BBC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Darweish, M. Challenging post-conflict environments : sustainable agriculture. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate. pp. 175–188. ISBN 9781409434825.
- ↑ قطف ثمار الزيتون، وكالة وفا Archived 1 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Main Economic Indicators for Olive Presses Activity in Palestine by Governorate, 2014". Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2016.