Khreisat: Jordanian olive oil possesses a prestigious global reputation, and Jordan has maintained its food security under the King's leadership

And announces the launch of the 2026 olive pressing season

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Saeb Khreisat, affirmed that Jordanian olive oil is considered one of the finest and best types of olive oil worldwide and enjoys a distinguished reputation and prestigious status thanks to its high quality and authentic taste, noting that it has won numerous international awards and achieved remarkable results in global forums.

Khreisat said that the Ministry of Agriculture has participated in global festivals and events to introduce Jordanian olive oil and highlight its quality, as the Jordanian product has received wide appreciation and obtained high-level certifications in terms of quality and taste, stressing the importance of continuing efforts to maintain this reputation and enhance the presence of Jordanian oil in global markets.

This came during Khreisat's inauguration of the 2026 olive pressing season at the Kingdom level at Al-Omari presses in the Bani Kinana District of Irbid Governorate, in cooperation with the Olive Press Owners Syndicate and the Olive Directorate, in the presence of Bani Kinana District Administrator Bilal Al-Rafaya, Irbid Agriculture Director Dr. Abdulhafez Abu Orabi, Irbid Chamber of Industry member Khaled Al-Kharashqa, and Olive Press Owners and Olive Producers Syndicate board member Hisham Al-Saadoun, where he announced the start of the pressing season, emphasizing that the olive sector constitutes an essential part of the Jordanian food security system and contributes to supporting the national economy and enhancing reliance on local production.

He added that Jordan has been able to maintain its food security at various levels despite regional and global circumstances and unrest by maintaining supply chains and providing food needs, noting that this was achieved with direct support and under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, who emphasizes in his various meetings the importance of achieving food security and enhancing local production.

He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture is working to support farmers and overcome the obstacles they face to advance and develop the agricultural sector and improve its productivity in a way that ensures meeting local needs, pointing out that modern and advanced presses, including Al-Omari presses, contribute to developing the olive sector through the use of advanced equipment and technologies that help produce high-quality oil.

Khreisat confirmed the existence of continuous coordination between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA), security services, and the Standards and Metrology Organization with the aim of strengthening oversight of olive oil, controlling violations, and preventing any attempts to tamper with the national product or exploit citizens and trade with their livelihood.

In his comment on the case witnessed in the Bani Kinana District regarding the seizure of quantities of imported olive oil prepared for sale as local oil, Khreisat explained that what happened represents a fraud attempt by a merchant to sell imported oil as local olive oil, and that no mixing or adulteration of the oil occurred, stressing that the incident did not take place inside the presses and that the competent authorities have taken the necessary legal measures against the person involved in the case.

For his part, the owner of Al-Omari presses, Engineer Nayef Al-Omari, said that the olive season carries positive indicators for the sector, stressing the importance of the current partnership between the press sector and the Ministry of Agriculture, health and regulatory authorities, security services, and the Standards and Metrology Organization, which ensures the safety and quality of the product and its arrival to the consumer with the best specifications and taste.

In turn, Dr. Khaled Obeidat, in a speech delivered on behalf of the farmers, emphasized the importance of maintaining the quality of olive fruits and adhering to sound agricultural practices, which reflects positively on the quality of the oil and preserves the distinguished reputation enjoyed by Jordanian olive oil.

For his part, the head of the Olive Press Owners Syndicate, Tayseer Al-Najdawi, said that the olive sector has witnessed remarkable expansion over the past three decades, with the number of olive trees in the Kingdom exceeding 11 million, noting that olive presses are a strategic partner in this sector and have witnessed tangible development over the past two decades through the introduction of the latest techniques and technology in pressing operations, which contributed to improving oil quality and raising production efficiency.

Al-Najdawi called on citizens to buy high-quality olive oil from reliable sources that ensure the safety of the product and protect consumer rights, praising the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and official authorities in upgrading and developing the olive and press sector and strengthening oversight of the national product in a way that preserves its quality and reputation and enhances consumer confidence in it.

The manager of Al-Omari presses, Mahmoud Al-Omari, said that the press is equipped with the latest techniques and modern, advanced systems in the field of olive pressing, which contributes to improving the efficiency of pressing operations and maintaining the quality, taste, and natural properties of olive oil, stressing the keenness to apply the best practices and technical standards in various stages of production to ensure the provision of a high-quality product that meets the aspirations of consumers and preserves the reputation and distinguished status of Jordanian olive oil.