Ammon News - Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, on Monday, inaugurated the 2021 National Olive Festival, which falls on November 1st each year, held in Zay district in central Balqa governorate.

During the ceremony, which was attended by the sector's stakeholders and representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Jordan, Nabil Assaf, Hneifat said this event supports values of community cooperation and solidarity to take part in harvesting olives countrywide, especially from school students.

Highlighting gov't support to this sector, deemed the "key" national crop, he said the ministry subsidized exports by JD1 million to reduce the surplus and sign the necessary agreements for selling installed oilve oil products to government employees, Hneifat pointed out.

Noting future plans to support olive farmers, Hneifat said current efforts aim to continue opening new foreign markets for olive products and backing the private sector's role in this regard, adding that all olive oil imports are suspended to protect the local produce.

This year's olive festival will be held on an area of 11,000 square meters for a period of 10 days, and is expected to accommodate 25% of the local olive oil product, in addition to marketing rural products from food industries and crafts, according to Hneifat.